The presidential candidate of the Social Democratic Party (SDP), Prince Adewole Adebayo, has thrown a fresh challenge to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, daring him to come out and debate his administration’s performance ahead of the 2027 presidential election.
Adebayo demanded answers on how the Federal Government had managed the country’s resources over the past four years, particularly funds saved from fuel subsidy removal and resources allocated to fighting insecurity.
He also questioned the state of electricity, compressed natural gas (CNG) and the economy, asking the President to account for what he described as the huge resources available to his administration.
Adebayo spoke on Tuesday in Abuja at the public presentation of the SDP’s 2027–2031 presidential policy blueprint, titled “Farewell to Poverty and Insecurity,” which he authored.
The event came after an earlier SDP roadshow in Abuja, organised to demonstrate the party’s readiness for the 2027 general elections.
The SDP candidate said Nigeria needed a fundamental change in its political culture, arguing that the country had for too long been governed through personality politics, ethnic sentiments and personal attacks instead of competing ideas.
He said the essence of politics was to produce leaders capable of providing solutions to the country’s problems.
“Politics has only one result, to give you a set of people from time to time to govern the country. What we are doing today is to start a new way of life in the public life of Nigeria.
“And to start a new way of life, we need to change the way we are governed. Because all our problems are man-made,” he said.
Adebayo said the men responsible for Nigeria’s problems were those occupying political offices, including the Presidency, state government houses and the National Assembly.
He challenged Tinubu to come forward and defend his administration’s record before Nigerians.
“The first challenge is thrown to President Bola Tinubu to move in, come out of hiding, come and debate. Anyone who wants to keep his job should be able to answer his bosses.
“Where have you been in the past four years? What have you been doing? Where is the money? Where is the money you saved from subsidies that never existed? Where are the trillions for security? Where is the CNG? Where is electricity?” he asked.
According to him, the solution to Nigeria’s problems lies in reducing political noise and increasing dialogue, accountability and evidence-based policy.
“That is why we put our thoughts on paper. We are people of the book. We must govern by the book. We must lead by the book,” he said.
Adebayo described the SDP blueprint as an open document that could be implemented by any political party genuinely committed to transforming Nigeria.
“When you have a policy document that works, it will work if SDP retains it. It will work if APC retains it. It will work if Accord retains it. Anybody who implements it, it will work,” he said.
‘We’ll end insecurity in four years’
The SDP candidate pledged that his administration would defeat insecurity within four years through better governance, national unity, economic productivity and effective security measures.
He argued that poor governance had contributed significantly to insecurity, adding that changing the government through the ballot would be the first step towards changing the system.
“Since the majority of the insecurity is caused by government, when you use your vote on January 16, 2027 to change the government, you have 60 per cent of the way changed the way the battle is,” he said.
Adebayo also called for an end to what he described as internal divisions among Nigerians, urging citizens to reject ethnic and regional conflicts.
“We will solve our problems from here,” he declared.
He said the SDP administration would focus on human development, education, infrastructure, energy and economic productivity, with the aim of creating an environment where Nigerians could live and prosper in their country.
Adebayo promises 75,000MW electricity
A major component of the SDP blueprint, according to Adebayo, is a plan to generate 75,000 megawatts of electricity using Nigeria’s own resources.
He also promised four functional public refineries and 36 modular refineries, while encouraging private investors to establish refineries and export petroleum products.
The SDP candidate proposed a petrol price of about N200 per litre at the current exchange rate, arguing that Nigerians should not be forced to pay international prices for fuel without earning international-level wages.
He blamed the continued depreciation of the naira on corruption, poor economic management and the failure of the Central Bank of Nigeria to adequately protect the currency and stimulate productivity.
Adebayo said four years was enough for a determined government to transform the country if it had the political will and the right policies.
“Four years is enough for a determined leader to help his people,” he said.
He urged Nigerians to study the SDP blueprint and contribute their ideas rather than treating it as a document belonging only to the party.
“This is your escape from politics of tribalism, politics of ethnicity, politics of personal insult. Let us do politics of competing ideas.
“So that we know that if you have a better idea, come and engage us. This is the beginning of a new Nigeria. This is the beginning of a government that works. This is the beginning of us taking control of our country,” he said.
El-Buba backs Adebayo
Also speaking at the event, cleric and minister, Prophet Isa El-Buba, endorsed Adebayo, saying Nigeria could not continue to repeat the same political cycle and expect a different result.
El-Buba said he took time to study Adebayo and the SDP blueprint before deciding to openly support the candidate.
“I decided publicly to stand and announce to everyone in Nigeria and in the diaspora that if there is one person that is going to really, really fix Nigeria as we desire, it is Prince Adewole,” he said.
He described the blueprint as a four-year national renewal programme focused on security, productivity, prosperity and the dignity of citizenship.
El-Buba urged Nigerians who believe the country requires a new direction to move beyond speeches and become active participants in the political process.
“After this moment is no longer speeches; it’s action time,” he said.
He called on supporters to mobilise Nigerians in their respective communities ahead of the 2027 elections and urged citizens not to allow themselves to be influenced by inducements.
According to him, the responsibility of changing Nigeria rests with Nigerians themselves.
SDP chairman: Security, productivity, prosperity
Earlier, the National Chairman of the SDP, Prof. Sadiq Umar Abubakar Gombe, said the blueprint was anchored on three major pillars: security, productivity and prosperity.
Gombe said the three were interconnected, stressing that Nigeria could not achieve sustainable development without first securing its people and creating conditions for production.
“Without security there can be no meaningful production. Without production there can be no sustainable prosperity. And without prosperity, democracy cannot fully deliver on its promise,” he said.
He maintained that government must exist primarily to provide security, welfare and advancement for citizens, stressing that public office must not be treated as private property.
The SDP chairman said the blueprint proposed both kinetic and non-kinetic approaches to insecurity while addressing poverty, unemployment and other social conditions that expose citizens to crime and extremism.
He said the party envisaged a Nigeria where farmers could cultivate their land without fear, traders could conduct their businesses safely and citizens could live, work, worship and travel without fear.
On the economy, Gombe said Nigeria must move away from dependence on imports and raw-material exports towards increased domestic production, value addition, innovation and investment.
He stressed the need for complete agricultural value chains and policies that would enable the private sector to produce, invest and create jobs.
“Where the private sector can lead, government will support and enable it. Where national development requires public leadership, government must be prepared to act,” he said.
The presentation of the blueprint, preceded by the party’s roadshow, formally set the tone for the SDP’s campaign for the 2027 general elections, with Adebayo presenting the document as the party’s alternative policy framework for tackling poverty, insecurity and economic hardship.
