SDP not in merger talks with APC, says Adewole Adebayo

Adewole Adebayo, presidential candidate of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) in 2023, says the party has no plans to enter into a merger with the All Progressives (Party) or other parties ahead of the 2027 elections. 

Adebayo spoke on Saturday during a meeting with members of the party’s state executive in Abeokuta, the Ogun state capital.

The former presidential candidate dismissed insinuations of any collaborations with the ruling party, adding that they are not part of the APC government.

He added that the SDP remains strong, explaining that its left-inclined ideologies are in line with solutions to Nigeria’s problems.

“Maybe APC has appendicitis, they should go to the hospital to kill it. We are a strong party. We are older than any of the parties available. Our mission is clear: we are not in government with them,” he said.

“I led the party in the last election. I’m still standing here. I’m not a minister under Tinubu, all the state chairmen, the national chairman are intact, national secretary. So, we are standing on our own.

“The reason people look down on us is because we don’t attack people to tackle issues, because our party is a party of intellect. We are the only party that’s a little to the left. Having been a little to the left since we came in 1989 we remain so.

“The problems of Nigeria can only be found with solutions on the left, which is that chapter two of the constitution, invest money in education, in housing, in healthcare, good infrastructure, let Nigerians live what chief Obafemi Awolowo called a life more abundant.”

Adebayo further said the SDP is open to genuine entrants, not people of questionable character, and that any interested person is welcome.

“Anybody who wants to join the SDP is welcome, except that you must learn our creed. We are for justice, and progress,” he said.

“As white as the horse is, so is our heart. We want the Nigerian people to regain what MKO Abiola promised. Abiola promised farewell to poverty.

“He sacrificed his life for it. So, anybody who wants to come to SDP must first ask himself, can you make the sacrifice Abiola made?

“We are merging with the Nigerian people. You cannot be on the side of the poor and the side of big men at the same time. If anybody tells you: I’m a party that wants to help poor people and is hanging around with those who are oppressing the people, that person doesn’t know what you want.

“SDP is clearly on the side of the people.”

Adebayo had earlier said joining the SDP is not a guarantee that the entrant will be handed a leadership position.

He spoke days after Nasir el-Rufai, the former governor of Kaduna, left the APC for the SDP.