Prince Adewole Adebayo, the Social Democratic Party’s presidential hopeful from the 2023 elections, has asserted that Nigeria has not achieved true democracy. Speaking after the nation’s Democracy Day festivities, he explained that the country is merely under civilian administration, lacking essential democratic principles.
According to Adebayo, uninterrupted civilian governance since 1999 does not equate to a robust democracy. Weaknesses persist in areas like accountability, adherence to the rule of law, credible electoral processes, and citizen welfare. He noted that national issues have deteriorated further despite political changes.
“Since 1993, only two developments have occurred — our difficulties have magnified, and our democratic arena has contracted,” he remarked.
The SDP leader cautioned that rising poverty and insecurity could trigger widespread unrest if not tackled promptly. “Poverty has surged, fueling insecurity. If we ignore these, they might lead to upheaval, revolution, or even genocide,” Adebayo warned.
His comments follow President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Democracy Day address, where he urged Nigerians to remain optimistic despite the country’s myriad challenges.