…Adebayo alleges growing intolerance under APC
…Party promises to tackle poverty, insecurity
By Henry Umoru, Abuja
The Social Democratic Party (SDP) has inaugurated a 12,000-member Presidential Campaign Council ahead of the January 16, 2027 presidential election, appointing Dr Yunusa Tanko, former Northern Coordinator of the Obidient Movement, as its National Coordinator.
The inauguration, held in Abuja on Wednesday, brought together party leaders, candidates and other stakeholders to strategise for the 2027 general elections.
Inaugurating the council, the SDP National Chairman, Prof. Sadiq Gombe, who will also serve as its chairman, charged members to run an issue-based and people-centred campaign anchored on the Constitution, Electoral Act, Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) guidelines and the party’s constitution.
Gombe said Nigeria was at a defining moment and urged party members to work towards defeating President Bola Tinubu in the January 16, 2027 presidential election.
He called on members of the campaign council to demonstrate commitment, discipline and effective organisation to secure electoral victories for the party.
“Let us approach this election with the seriousness it deserves to unseat President Tinubu.
“Our campaign must be issue-based, people-centred and firmly rooted in the provisions of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, the Electoral Act, INEC Guidelines and our party constitution.
“We must earn the confidence of Nigerians through credible engagement, persuasion, effective organisation and practical policy alternatives. We must reject violence, intimidation, electoral malpractice and every conduct capable of undermining the integrity of our democracy,” he said.
The SDP chairman identified insecurity, economic hardship, unemployment, poverty, institutional weaknesses and declining public confidence in governance as some of the major challenges confronting the country.
He said Nigerians deserved purposeful leadership, economic opportunities, social justice, security and accountability, adding that the SDP was determined to provide an alternative founded on equity, freedom, inclusive development and good governance.
Gombe urged members of the council to take the party’s message to communities across the country, engage voters respectfully and demonstrate through their conduct that the party deserved public trust.
He said the party’s mission was to build a strong, united and nationwide political organisation capable of delivering electoral victories at all levels in 2027 while contributing to the preservation and strengthening of Nigeria’s democracy.
In his remarks, the SDP presidential candidate, Prince Adewole Adebayo, warned against what he described as growing political intolerance and dictatorial tendencies under the All Progressives Congress (APC), cautioning that attempts to restrict opposition activities could undermine democracy.
Adebayo urged members of the campaign council to demonstrate commitment to the party’s mission of providing Nigerians with an alternative political platform.
He also stressed the need for candidates seeking elective offices to appreciate the seriousness of the political contest and the responsibility of offering credible alternatives to voters.
The presidential candidate cited reports of the removal or restriction of opposition campaign flyers, posters and billboards in Adamawa State and other parts of the country, insisting that all political parties must be allowed to freely promote their candidates, programmes and ideas.
He argued that any government seeking to prevent opposition parties from presenting their political programmes to Nigerians was exhibiting signs of intolerance that should not be ignored.
Adebayo said democracy thrived on the freedom of political parties to canvass support, present alternative policies and compete for citizens’ mandates without intimidation or obstruction.
He warned that suppressing opposition voices could weaken public confidence in the electoral process and threaten the country’s political stability.
In his acceptance speech, Tanko pledged to build a formidable campaign organisation capable of advancing the SDP’s objectives and securing electoral support across the country.
The former Northern Coordinator of the Obidient Movement expressed confidence in the party’s presidential ticket of Adebayo and Dr Usman Bugaje, describing both candidates as well positioned to reposition Nigeria for progress and sustainable development.
He said the task ahead required unity, sacrifice and collective commitment from party leaders, members and supporters, urging stakeholders to put personal interests aside and work towards a common political objective.
Tanko, who was previously the presidential candidate of the National Progressive Party, said his extensive political experience, including participation in previous presidential contests and national political engagements, had prepared him for the new assignment.
Recounting the challenges he had encountered in politics, he said some of his associates had been killed while others sustained disabilities in the course of their political struggles, but maintained that the experiences had not weakened his commitment to Nigeria.
“Somebody asked me why I was still involved in politics despite the challenges. I said never. Nigeria gave me everything. Nigeria gave me life, education and maturity,” he said.
Also speaking, the SDP governorship candidate in Nasarawa State and former Inspector-General of Police, Mohammed Adamu Abubakar, criticised rising poverty, insecurity and inadequate healthcare facilities across the country.
Abubakar, who spoke on behalf of the party’s governorship candidates nationwide, said the worsening socioeconomic conditions required urgent intervention.
He expressed concern that insecurity, economic hardship and poor access to medical facilities continued to undermine the welfare of Nigerians, particularly residents of rural communities.
He lamented that many Nigerians still struggled to access affordable healthcare, while poverty and insecurity continued to threaten livelihoods and deepen household vulnerability.
Abubakar called on Nigerians to support SDP candidates in the forthcoming elections, insisting that the party was prepared to offer an alternative approach to governance through purposeful leadership and people-oriented policies.
The party leaders urged members of the National Presidential Campaign Council to mobilise support nationwide and effectively communicate the SDP’s programmes to voters ahead of the 2027 general elections.
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