SDP Poised to Offer Credible Alternative in 2027, Says Presidential Flagbearer Adebayo

The Social Democratic Party (SDP) has declared its readiness to step forward as a formidable and credible alternative for Nigerian voters in the 2027 general elections. The assertion was made by the party’s leader and 2023 presidential candidate, Prince Adewole Adebayo, who expressed strong confidence in the SDP’s capacity to address the multitude of challenges currently facing the nation.

Dependable NG reports that speaking on the party’s strategy and preparations ahead of the crucial polls, Prince Adebayo emphatically distanced the SDP from the two dominant political platforms, the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). He described the SDP not merely as a political organization but as a true movement grounded in distinct principles of integrity and clear socio-democratic values, positioning it as a stark contrast to the existing political order. “It is rare to find a true SDP member who has interest in the APC or PDP because what they represent is totally opposite to what the SDP stands for,” Adebayo stated.

The party leader also disclosed that the SDP is currently undergoing an extensive and necessary period of leadership reforms to inject greater accountability and discipline among its members. He revealed that internal sabotage was a significant issue in the previous election cycle, which the party is now committed to eradicating. “When I ran for president, some elements within the party worked against us. There were state chairmen who gave our agent cards to another party,” he revealed. He cited a specific instance in Kwara State where the official recorded votes drastically undercut the actual tally. “In Kwara, for instance, we discovered that while we scored over 122,000 votes, only 22,000 were recorded for us. We are changing such leadership and bringing in new people,” Adebayo confirmed, signalling a zero-tolerance approach to anti-party activities and electoral fraud within the party’s ranks.

Prince Adebayo emphasized that the long-term focus of the Social Democratic Party is on building a robust political structure rooted in selfless service and genuine patriotism. He noted that building such a foundation takes time, stating, “It takes time to build a political party made up of people who are selfless and patriotic, those who are in politics only because they want a better country. That’s what we are doing in the SDP.” Furthermore, Adebayo connected the party’s mission to the historical flaws inherited from the nation’s early nationalists, such as Herbert Macaulay, Nnamdi Azikiwe, and Ahmadu Bello, who he suggested inherited a divided system. The SDP, he stressed, aims to correct these foundational defects through a commitment to value-based politics and truly people-oriented leadership, ultimately seeking to eliminate poverty, insecurity, unemployment, and infrastructural deficits across the country through social investment and full employment.