2027: ‘Tinubu Must Not Win’ — SDP Chieftain Reveals Who Should Win Instead

The 2023 presidential candidate of the Social Democratic Party (SDP), Adewole Adebayo, has said the 2027 presidential election should not be about personal victory for any political figure, including Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

Adebayo stated that the only true winner Nigerians should desire in the next general election is the country itself.

He made the remark while addressing party members and opposition leaders during an Iftar gathering held in Abuja on Thursday night.

The former presidential candidate used the occasion to speak about democratic responsibility and the need for leaders to place national interest above personal ambition.

According to him, elections must reflect the will of the people and not be shaped by political manipulation.

His comments came a day after President Tinubu hosted political stakeholders at the Presidential Villa for a Ramadan Iftar event.

Adebayo said statements credited to the president during that meeting raised important issues about political participation and leadership responsibility.

He stressed that public office holders must remember that political authority is not absolute.

According to him, leaders should acknowledge that power ultimately belongs to God and is only temporarily entrusted to those who occupy public offices.

Adebayo said the views presented to the president by representatives of the Inter-Party Advisory Council (IPAC) align with the position of the SDP.

He rejected the notion that citizens can simply decide whether or not to take part in elections without encouragement from leaders.

“The president has a duty, just as I have a duty, to ensure Nigerians are motivated to vote and participate in the democratic process,” he said.

The SDP candidate maintained that political leaders must actively promote civic engagement, especially as the country approaches another critical electoral cycle.

Adebayo also expressed hope that the 2027 general election would witness one of the highest voter turnout rates in Nigeria’s democratic history.

He said the current economic and political challenges facing the country make it important for citizens to participate fully in choosing their leaders.

“I will plead with President Tinubu: he doesn’t have to win the election, just as I don’t have to win. The only entity that must win is Nigeria,” Adebayo stated.

He warned against any attempt by those in authority to alter electoral rules or influence institutions simply because they hold political power or legislative majority.

According to him, democratic institutions must remain independent to guarantee credible elections.

Adebayo further urged the president to reflect during the holy month of Ramadan and ensure that the electoral process remains transparent and open to the will of the Nigerian people.

Also speaking at the event, the National Chairman of the SDP, Sadiq Umar Gombe, said the responsibility of building a functional democracy rests largely on the government.

He noted that citizens must be given confidence in the electoral process through clear and transparent laws capable of producing credible leaders.

In his remarks, the National Chairman of IPAC, Yusuf Dantalle, appealed to the president to review and amend existing electoral legislation in a way that strengthens inclusiveness and fairness within Nigeria’s democratic system.

Meanwhile, a statement issued earlier by Idris Adamu, secretary of the SDP State Chairmen Forum led by Femi Olaniyi Ferrari, congratulated Gombe on his emergence as the party’s national chairman following a favourable ruling at the Supreme Court.

The forum described his victory as a step toward strengthening internal party democracy and positioning the SDP ahead of future political contests.