Adewole Adebayo, the 2023 presidential candidate for the Social Democratic Party (SDP), has confidently predicted that President Bola Tinubu will be ousted in the 2027 general election.
Adebayo also boldly claimed that his party would produce the next Nigerian President.
Appearing on Arise Television’s The Morning Show on Friday, March 14, Adebayo expressed certainty about Tinubu’s defeat, asserting, “Tinubu is going to be removed from power, that one is sure, and there would be an SDP president.”
He added that the SDP’s chances of victory in 2027 were assured, signalling that his party was poised to lead the country in the next election cycle.
Adebayo, who is a prominent figure within the SDP, further revealed his ambition to contest the presidency again in 2027. He made it clear that he would be the party’s candidate, irrespective of any high-profile defections to the SDP in the coming years.
“Let us understand something. I don’t worry about that; everybody who is coming in knows I will run in 2027,” Adebayo stated, unfazed by the political manoeuvrings of other party members.
“Any coward who will feel threatened by people coming to his party cannot be president,” he added, implying that only the confident and unshakeable could lead the nation.
His comments come in the wake of the high-profile defection of former Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai to the SDP.
Since El-Rufai’s shift to the party earlier this week, there has been increased speculation about his political future, with reports suggesting that he may play a key role in the party’s preparations for 2027.
Despite the political weight of El-Rufai’s defection, Adebayo remained undeterred, describing the former governor as a hardworking and patriotic Nigerian.
He acknowledged El-Rufai’s effectiveness in areas where government performance has been lacking.
“The reason why I welcome El-Rufai to my party is that I see him as a patriotic Nigerian, hardworking, very effective in an area where we don’t have effective people in government,” Adebayo said.
El-Rufai’s defection to the SDP has prompted discussions about the potential reshaping of the political landscape ahead of the 2027 elections.
The former governor, known for his controversial yet influential leadership, is expected to make significant political moves to recruit more politicians to the SDP, further positioning the party as a formidable contender in the race for the presidency.
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