As the race for the 2027 general elections takes shape, the presidential candidate of the Social Democratic Party, SDP, in the 2023 poll, Prince Adewole Adebayo, says he is fully prepared to take over from President Bola Tinubu even now.
Adebayo made the assertion while reacting to the announcement by the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, of the timetable for the 2027 general elections.
According to him, while opposition parties are already preparing for the election, the more critical question is whether Nigerians themselves are ready to change their government.
“The opposition being ready is a given. What is more important is whether the people are ready.
“If you ask me if I am ready to take over from President Bola Tinubu and govern the country better, yes, I am ready, even today,” he said.
The SDP chieftain said he was better prepared and surrounded by competent people who could offer clearer direction for the country.
“You can drive me to the Aso Rock Villa now and ask me to take over and you will see a better result today, not tomorrow. I am better prepared, better intentioned and surrounded by better people with a clearer vision,” he said.
According to him, “our duty as we point out that President Tinubu’s government is a disaster — which is obvious by every metric — is also to organise the opposition and present clear alternatives to the people.
He argued that the real challenge for opposition parties is not merely criticising the government but presenting credible leadership and policies capable of winning public trust.
“It is not difficult to defeat President Bola Ahmed Tinubu. What we need to do is bring more voters out and help them understand that their immediate solution is to remove the APC from power,” he said.
Adebayo also urged Nigerians to vote out members of the National Assembly, accusing lawmakers of passing electoral laws that favour the ruling party.
“The duty Nigerians have is to make sure that no member of the National Assembly returns because they surrendered the sovereignty of Nigeria to the whims of one person,” he said.
Reacting to threats by the Inter Party Advisory Council (IPAC) to boycott future elections if the Electoral Act is not amended, Adebayo said the demand for a better electoral law was legitimate.
Despite concerns about the strength of the SDP compared to the ruling All Progressives Congress, Adebayo said the party was focused on mobilising ordinary Nigerians rather than relying on political heavyweights.
“Our focus is to reconnect the party with the people. Once the people embrace the party again, the structure will naturally follow,” he said.
