The Social Democratic Party, SDP, presidential candidate in the 2023 election, Prince Adewole Adebayo, has warned that the party is not a refuge for disgruntled and internally displaced politicians.
He said the party remains a movement driven by young people and women who desire real change in Nigeria, saying it is normal for dissatisfied individuals to seek alternatives where they believe they can have a platform.
The former presidential candidate stated that the first group of dissatisfied individuals that have chosen the SDP are the poor masses of Nigeria, stressing that the problems of governance impact the people more than the elite.
He assured that the party would prevent those seeking to join solely for personal ambition from doing so.
Adebayo stated, “We cannot criticize people’s motives for coming. A political party is a public institution, like a church or a mosque. When someone’s presence is marked in a mosque and they want to pray, you cannot ask, ‘Where were you last night? Where have you been all your life?’ Let them pray.
“If you come to a church, sit in the pew, and say you want to kneel and pray, the pastor cannot say, ‘Wait, I saw you at a nightclub last night.’ He has to allow you to pray. However, coming to a mosque to pray does not mean you will be made the Chief Imam. Coming to a church to pray doesn’t mean you will be anointed as a bishop, but you are free to come because it is a place open to everyone.”
Adebayo decried a situation where certain individuals manipulate the system from the shadows, even as he expressed hope that the political landscape is evolving.
The former presidential candidate noted that many of those who worked closely with Professor Mahmood Yakubu at the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, in 2023 are no longer there.
”Integrity is key, and the law must take its full course. SDP’s message is clear, the party stands for the people, a movement driven by young people and women who want real change.
“If you want to unseat an incumbent, you must have more discipline than the incumbent. If you engage in internal conflicts and unseriousness, you create openings that the ruling party will readily exploit, and you can’t blame them for that.
“This is the kind of orientation we have in the SDP. When you join, leave your ego at the door. Leave your ambition at the door. Leave all your problems at the door.”
SDP not refuge for disgruntled, internally displaced politicians – Adebayo
