The presidential candidate of the Social Democratic Party (SDP), Adewale Adebayo, has lamented the deepening divisions, insecurity and economic hardship confronting Nigerians more than 100 years after the country’s amalgamation.
Adebayo stated this while addressing party supporters and delegates during an SDP gathering at Abubakar Tafawa Balewa Stadium in Bauchi, where he accused the political class of failing to provide responsible leadership capable of uniting the country.
According to him, many Nigerians have continued to suffer unemployment, poverty and insecurity despite the nation’s enormous human and natural resources.
“Many graduates from universities, polytechnics and colleges are still asking where jobs will come from. Parents work hard every day, yet they return home unable to provide food, school fees or healthcare for their families,” he said.
The SDP chieftain also decried the increasing migration of Nigerians abroad in search of survival, saying many citizens now hide in foreign countries to escape economic hardship at home.
He questioned why Nigerians still view fellow citizens with suspicion despite decades of nationhood, noting that some corps members reject National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) postings because they consider certain parts of the country unsafe or unwelcoming.
Adebayo further criticised the state of insecurity across the country, alleging that citizens now travel through fear of banditry, kidnappings and poor road conditions.
“Our women are still giving birth under trees. Nigerians are hungry, homeless, jobless and without peace. These are the real problems confronting the country,” he said.
The SDP presidential candidate, however, commended the Governor of Bauchi State, Senator Bala Mohammed, for what he described as his commitment to democratic ideals and political inclusiveness.
He urged Nigerians to defend democracy and preserve political freedom, warning against any attempt to undermine multiparty democracy in the country.
According to him, Nigeria’s diversity can only thrive under a system that allows different political parties and ideologies to coexist peacefully.
