The Social Democratic Party (SDP) presidential candidate in the 2023 general elections, Adewole Adebayo, has indicated his willingness to step aside in the 2027 race if a more capable contender emerges within his party.
Speaking on Inside Sources with Laolu Akande, a socio-political program aired on Channels Television, Adebayo acknowledged his aspirations but emphasized that leadership is ultimately determined by divine will.
“Everybody knows that I have an aspiration. I’m working on it, but God is the author of tomorrow; we don’t even know who is going to be around in 2027,” he stated.
He further expressed his desire for the emergence of a leader best suited to address Nigeria’s challenges. “It is my prayer to God that if there is a person who God thinks is better than me to fix the problem of Nigeria, my ambition should not stop that person because we want a country that works,” he added.
Adebayo also assured Nigerians that the SDP is committed to presenting a formidable candidate who could successfully challenge President Bola Tinubu of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the next election. He stressed that the party would steer clear of divisive politics based on religion and ethnicity.
“What used to be an easy discussion – with religion and ethnicity – has become explosive now. So, we will not use the SDP forum to try to bifurcate our people into different zones,” he said. “What we are looking for now is a system where when we make a choice in the SDP, there will be resounding joy outside the SDP, and Nigerians will say: ‘Okay, finally, this platform has given the country a chance.’”
Meanwhile, political discussions on forming an opposition alliance intensified on March 20, 2025, with key figures such as Atiku Abubakar, Peter Obi, and Nasir El-Rufai spearheading a coalition aimed at unseating Tinubu. The coalition seeks to leverage the combined electoral strength of Atiku and Obi, who secured over 12 million votes in the 2023 election—exceeding Tinubu’s total by more than four million votes.
With internal disputes plaguing the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and Labour Party (LP), along with grievances among some APC members, the SDP appears to be attracting growing interest from politicians across party lines.
El-Rufai and his associates have already moved to the SDP, while speculations continue about possible defections by Atiku and Obi, though neither has made an official declaration regarding such a move.
