The candidate of the Social Democratic Party (SDP), in the forthcoming 2027 presidential elections, Prince Adewole Adebayo, has accused President Bola Tinubu’s administration of using poverty and economic hardship as instruments to weaken citizens and prevent them from demanding accountability from government.
Adebayo, who spoke during an interview on the state of the nation, argued that the widespread suffering across the country is not accidental but the direct consequence of policies and governance failures under the All Progressives Congress (APC)-led government.
According to him, millions of Nigerians have become so preoccupied with survival that they have lost sight of the rights and privileges that come with citizenship.
“The poverty that Nigerians are facing is artificial, government-inflicted and self-tolerated by the people,” Adebayo said.
The SDP leader maintained that rather than empowering citizens through quality education, economic opportunities and social welfare, the government has presided over conditions that keep people dependent on political patronage and handouts.
He said a hungry population would naturally find it difficult to challenge authority or demand constitutional guarantees from elected leaders.
“My opponent is not Tinubu. My opponent is the ignorance of the people. Once they understand what government is supposed to do and what their rights are as citizens, they will know why they are suffering.”
Adebayo argued that the Tinubu administration has failed to uphold the principles of governance contained in Chapter Two of the Constitution, which outlines the responsibilities of government towards citizens.
He said if public resources were properly managed and deployed according to constitutional provisions, the level of poverty, unemployment and social dislocation currently witnessed in the country would be impossible.
Adebayo cited the growing number of out-of-school children as evidence of what he described as a government that has abandoned its core responsibilities.
According to him, children of school age can be found hawking goods, begging for alms and roaming the streets in virtually every part of the country, while many of those enrolled in schools are receiving little or no meaningful education.
“There is no part of Nigeria where you will not find children selling on the streets or begging. Some receive no schooling at all, while others receive schooling without education,” he said.
He further alleged that the APC government has allowed the education system to deteriorate to the point where it produces graduates who are ill-equipped to contribute meaningfully to national development.
He warned that a poorly educated population is easier to manipulate politically and less likely to hold leaders accountable.
The SDP leader also accused the government of distracting Nigerians from the fundamental issues affecting their lives while insecurity, unemployment and economic hardship continue to worsen.
According to him, the prevailing conditions have created a society where citizens are more willing to accept short-term relief and political gifts than demand long-term reforms and good governance.
He argued that this situation benefits politicians who exploit poverty to secure loyalty and suppress public scrutiny.
Adebayo said the solution lies in political enlightenment and civic education, insisting that Nigerians must begin to understand the meaning of citizenship and the obligations government owes them.
“Politicians are looking for voters, but citizens should first understand that they are citizens and what that means. Once they understand their rights, they will stop settling for crumbs and start demanding good governance,” he said.
The SDP stalwart maintained that meaningful political change would only occur when Nigerians reject what he described as a culture of dependency and begin holding leaders accountable for the nation’s vast resources and opportunities.
He added that the task before opposition parties and reform-minded leaders is not merely to defeat President Tinubu at the polls, but to awaken citizens to their constitutional rights and responsibilities.
According to Adebayo, once Nigerians become politically conscious and refuse to be controlled by poverty and patronage, the country’s democratic and economic fortunes will begin to change.
