Amid a gale of defections into the Social Democratic Party (SDP), the party’s presidential candidate in the 2023 election, Prince Adewole Adebayo, declared that the SDP is not a refuge for disgruntled and internally displaced politicians.
He emphasized that the party remains a movement driven by young people and women who desire real change in Nigeria.
Adebayo noted that it is normal for dissatisfied individuals to seek alternatives where they believe they can have a platform.
However, he stressed that the first group of dissatisfied individuals who have chosen the SDP are the poor masses of Nigeria because, according to him, “the problems in our governance impact the people more than the elite when you talk of hunger, unemployment, insecurity, and rising factor costs, among other social problems.”
He assured that the party would prevent those seeking to join solely for personal ambition.
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He said: “We cannot criticize people’s motives for coming. A political party is a public institution, like a church or a mosque. When someone’s presence is marked in a mosque and they want to pray, you cannot ask, ‘Where were you last night? Where have you been all your life?’ Let them pray.
“If you come to a church, sit in the pew, and say you want to kneel and pray, the pastor cannot say, ‘Wait, I saw you at a nightclub last night.’ He has to allow you to pray. However, coming to a mosque to pray does not mean you will be made the Chief Imam. Coming to a church to pray doesn’t mean you will be anointed as a bishop, but you are free to come because it is a place open to everyone.”
Adebayo decried a situation where certain individuals manipulate the system from the shadows, even as he expressed hope that the political landscape is evolving.
“Many of those who worked closely with Professor Mahmood Yakubu at the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in 2023 are no longer there. Integrity is key, and the law must take its full course. The SDP’s message is clear—we stand for the people. We are not just another big-name political party; we are a movement driven by young people and women who want real change,” he said.
He further stated that the SDP is well-organized and focused, insisting that discipline and integrity are the party’s watchwords.
He advised new members to drop their egos and abide by the party’s rules.
He said: “If you want to unseat an incumbent, you must have more discipline than the incumbent. If you engage in internal conflicts and unseriousness, you create openings that the ruling party will readily exploit, and you can’t blame them for that.
“This is the kind of orientation we have in the SDP. When you join, leave your ego at the door. Leave your ambition at the door. Leave all your problems at the door,” he said.
He also noted that the SDP does not have any personal issues with President Tinubu but rather with the misgovernance that has characterized his administration.
“If you don’t govern well, you are working against the Nigerian people, their welfare, and their security. You are breaching Chapter 2 of the Constitution, violating your oath of office, and we will challenge you on that basis. We are not concerned with your personal affairs,” he said.
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