The 2027 presidential candidate of the Social Democratic Party (SDP), Prince Adewole Adebayo, has called on President Bola Tinubu to step aside, arguing that Nigeria needs relief from the current administration.
Adebayo made the call in a statement issued in Abuja on Wednesday in reaction to Tinubu’s decision to limit his participation in physical campaigns across some states ahead of the 2027 presidential election.
Tinubu had announced his intention to focus on governance while allowing members of the All Progressives Congress (APC) Presidential Campaign Council to take the party’s message to Nigerians across states and local government areas.
Reacting, Adebayo questioned the President’s ability to govern effectively, arguing that the decision raised concerns about his capacity to provide the active and visible leadership the country requires.
In the statement signed by his campaign’s Chief Communications Adviser, Comrade Mark Adebayo, the SDP candidate described Tinubu as a “president in absentia,” insisting that Nigeria’s challenges required a leader who remained directly engaged with the people.
“Nigeria is too complex, too dynamic, and currently too distressed to be governed by remote control,” he said.
Adebayo accused the President of being absent at critical moments, citing what he described as extended medical trips presented as working visits, absences during national emergencies and instances in which representatives communicated government policies on his behalf.
He also alleged that Tinubu had failed to provide the reassurance Nigerians needed during difficult periods.
“We have seen repeated instances where the President is visibly missing when the country needs reassurance.
“From unannounced foreign trips during critical economic decisions to his complete silence during widespread regional protests, he has consistently acted like a president in absentia. If you are too tired to campaign, you are too weak to govern,” Adebayo said.
The SDP candidate further argued that the President’s decision to limit his physical campaign appearances was motivated by fear of public reaction rather than a deliberate political strategy.
“The excuse of bowing out of the 2027 campaign is a cowardly smokescreen. The truth is that the President is terrified of the Nigerian people,” he alleged.
Adebayo attributed what he described as the President’s declining popularity to the effects of the administration’s economic policies, including fuel subsidy removal, rising inflation and currency instability.
According to him, the economic hardship facing Nigerian households has made it increasingly difficult for the President to engage directly with voters.
“He knows the pain his bad policies have inflicted on families. He is hiding because he cannot face public anger, and he knows any appearance on a campaign trail will be met with collective booing of a betrayed populace,” he said.
The SDP candidate urged Tinubu to put national interest ahead of his political ambitions, arguing that the country’s welfare should take precedence over the administration’s desire to retain power.
“It is time to face reality: step aside, go home, and let this country breathe,” Adebayo declared.
He also called on the administration to be transparent about Tinubu’s capacity to lead the country for the remainder of his tenure, insisting that Nigerians deserved effective leadership amid the country’s economic and security challenges.
The Presidency’s response to Adebayo’s allegations was not included in the statement.
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