Social Democratic Party (SDP) presidential candidate Adewole Adebayo has said his 2027 presidential bid is aimed at winning the support of Nigerians beyond his party membership.
Adebayo made the remarks while speaking about his campaign and the need for political candidates to appeal to voters across party lines.
He said membership of a political party is mainly important during the primary election, adding that a candidate who emerges must seek the support of the wider electorate.
“There is no political party that has a membership that can make you president,” Adebayo said.
He argued that past presidents were elected with support beyond the membership of their political parties.
Adebayo said he now considers himself a candidate for Nigeria and urged Nigerians who support his ideas to back his campaign, whether or not they belong to the SDP.
The SDP candidate also urged voters not to be intimidated by the financial strength of political opponents.
He said Nigerians should focus on ideas, integrity and prosperity rather than politicians’ money.
“If they are sharing money and you are not interested, you want to share integrity,” he said.
Adebayo also claimed that the SDP had recorded electoral gains in previous elections despite opposition from larger political parties.
He said the party won two of three senatorial seats and a House of Representatives seat in one state, while also becoming the second-largest party in the state House of Assembly.
He urged his supporters not to lose confidence, saying effective organisation and grassroots support would be important to the party’s performance in the 2027 election.
