A chieftain of the Social Democratic Party (SDP), Adewole Adebayo, has declared that the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) will only retain power in 2027 if the general elections are dominated by political elites rather than the Nigerian electorate.
Speaking on Hard Copy, a Channels Television programme aired on Sunday, Adebayo argued that the outcome of the 2027 presidential election would depend largely on whether it reflects the will of politicians or that of the people.
According to him, the APC stands a strong chance if the process is controlled by entrenched political interests. However, he maintained that if Nigerians take ownership of the electoral process, the ruling party would be voted out.
“If it is a politicians’ election, the APC is going to win. But if it’s a people’s election, they will lose, and we, the SDP, are going to win,” Adebayo stated.
The former SDP presidential candidate further asserted that President Bola Tinubu and other incumbents are not invincible, insisting they can be defeated at the polls.
“President Tinubu is beatable. APC is beatable. All the incumbents are beatable. We will surely send them packing in 2027. The APC is only successful with the political class,” he said.
Adebayo also challenged Nigerians to play a more active role in reshaping the country’s political landscape. He stressed the need to cultivate a new political class capable of prioritizing national interest over partisan advantage.
He acknowledged that building such a movement would not be easy but described it as a necessary step toward meaningful change ahead of the 2027 general elections.
