The Social Democratic Party (SDP) presidential candidate in the 2023 general election, Prince Adewole Adebayo, has reiterated his position that the party would not go into alliance with politicians who have no clear-cut ideology on how to improve the lives of suffering Nigerians.
Addressing journalists at his country home in Ondo GRA ahead of the Prince Adewole Adebayo 2025 Christmas Marathon and Queen Lilian Adebayo Health Walk in Ondo City on Sunday, he noted that President Bola Tinubu’s administration is a disaster that has brought so much agony and pains on Nigerians. He stressed that what Nigeria needs are leaders with patriotic zeal to take the country out of the woods and restore hope of survival to Nigerians and not people who would become worse than Tinubu in power.
He lamented that those pushing for alliance lack credibility, clear ideology and the moral standing required to put the country on the right footing, and stressed that it would be counterproductive to oust Tinubu, who is already a disaster, and replace him with those who will wreak more havoc and disaster on Nigerians.
He clarified the SDP was never opposed to coalition but emphasized that the party would not align with individuals who have questionable characters or those whose records and motivations contradict the party’s values.
“We are talking with the coalition, and we are trying to find a common purpose. This common purpose has to have meaning in the lives of ordinary Nigerians.
“The fact that President Bola Tinubu is a disaster does not mean I should accept the same things I dislike him for from others. That’s why I interviewed each of them who came. I don’t even bother to interview some of them, and you all know them,” he said.
He argued that many opposition figures attempting to form a coalition are merely trying to capitalise on public anger over the present government’s disastrous performance and not that they will offer any genuine alternative. “They are people seeking patronage in government under the guise of fighting for the masses.
“I think it’s better to make sure that the person who wants to collaborate with us doesn’t have similar tendencies like the person we want to take away power from.
“President Tinubu is a disaster, no doubt about it. He has failed economically, politically, socially and even in security which is the primary purpose of any government – to secure the lives and property of citizens. But, I can assure you that these people, who are mouthing coalition, are going to be worse if we don’t interrogate them properly.
“When the current All Progressive Congress leaders formed their own coalition to remove Good luck Jonathan and I saw their mascot, the late President Muhammadu Buhari, I was convinced that we would be dead. And that was what happened. Buhari was a plague on Nigerians but Tinubu has proven to be even worse than Buhari. We are still in coalition talks but we should make sure that someone who is worse is not smuggled in. Some people are doing coalition after leaving the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) custody on bail,” he said.
The SDP leader stressed that any coalition which the party must be a part of, must be based on shared ideology and accountability.
“You must first confess your contribution to the problems we are facing today as a country before you can talk about coalition,” he said.
He noted many politicians are driven by dependence on government patronage, positing how he persuaded his party leaders that remaining out of power was preferable to betraying Nigerians.
“Some people are incapable of being outside the government for six hours because they are used to free cars, houses and privileges.
“For me, if you cannot help the Nigerian people, let us not kill them. It is better not to enter into the government than to become enemies of the people. Tinubu is a failure but let us not put his likes or those worse than him in government,” he said.
