…Faults Tinubu over absence at electoral peace accord signing

The presidential candidate of the Social Democratic Party (SDP), Prince Adewole Adebayo, has criticised President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for failing to personally attend the signing of an electoral peace accord, describing the absence as a troubling signal ahead of the 2027 general elections.

Adebayo, who spoke shortly after the signing ceremony, said the President, as the country’s highest political authority and a beneficiary of the electoral process, ought to have personally led political parties and candidates in demonstrating commitment to peaceful, free and credible elections.

He argued that Tinubu’s presence would have reassured political actors, security agencies and the electorate that the Federal Government was determined to prevent electoral violence and protect the integrity of the ballot.

“President Tinubu not showing up today is showing that he’s not committed to peace,” Adebayo said.

The SDP candidate warned that the President’s absence could have implications beyond the ceremony, particularly in the manner government officials and law enforcement personnel interpret the administration’s commitment to electoral peace.

“He’s sending a wrong signal to law enforcement, people who work for the government, that the president looks like he’s not committed enough,” he added.

Adebayo urged Tinubu to address the concerns generated by his absence by explaining why he could not attend the ceremony and publicly reaffirming his commitment to a peaceful electoral process.

“He needs to correct that by making a clear statement, explaining why he’s absent, and making sure that he makes a statement, and commits himself to the peace,” he said.

Democracy is a national security issue

The SDP candidate also dismissed any suggestion that pressing official duties or national security considerations could justify the President’s absence.

According to him, the survival and continuity of Nigeria’s democratic system should itself be regarded as a critical national security responsibility.

“There’s no more national security than the continuity of the state,” Adebayo declared.

He stressed that credible elections remained fundamental to legitimate governance, noting that Tinubu himself attained the presidency through an electoral process.

“It is this process that made him president, the process of election,” he said.

Adebayo maintained that the President’s personal attendance would have provided reassurance to political parties and candidates as preparations intensify for the 2027 elections.

“It is good for you as a leader to signal that we believe in a society, we believe in peace as a process,” he said.

He further claimed that arrangements for the peace accord had been made to accommodate the President, including the timing and date of the event.

“Everything was made to accommodate the president, including timing, including date, and he gave word that he was going to be there,” Adebayo said.

‘It is a moral issue, not a legal issue’

The SDP presidential candidate argued that the peace accord should not be treated as a mere ceremonial event, but as an opportunity for political leaders to personally demonstrate the values they expect their supporters to uphold.

“It’s something that is personal to you because you are the one elected, you are the one who will commit,” he said.

Adebayo described the matter as one of moral leadership rather than a question of legal obligation, arguing that the President had a responsibility to set the tone for political conduct ahead of the next general elections.

“It is a moral issue, not a legal issue,” he said.

He linked that responsibility to Tinubu’s inauguration pledge of May 29, 2023, when the President swore to uphold and defend the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.