Adewale Adebayo criticizes Tinubu over detentions and campaign plans

Prince Adewale Adebayo, the Social Democratic Party (SDP) presidential candidate for 2027, has criticized President Bola Tinubu’s administration regarding both political dissent and campaign strategies.

Adebayo demanded the immediate release of five men detained in Borno State—Ba’ana Grema, Mustapha Abba, Abacha Mohammed Ali, Adam Umar Gubio, and Abdulhamid Mohammed. The men were reportedly held for expressing opposition to the administration, including wearing T-shirts with the slogan “Tinubu Must Go”. Adebayo characterized the detention as a violation of democratic freedoms and urged the police to remain neutral during the upcoming campaign season.

Additionally, Adebayo responded to President Tinubu’s decision to focus on governance rather than physical campaigning. Following an announcement by the All Progressives Congress (APC) that the President would delegate nationwide messaging to party members, Adebayo claimed Tinubu is avoiding the public due to fear of backlash. He argued that the President’s tendency to govern from a distance makes him unfit for the complexities of leading Nigeria.