The presidential candidate of the Social Democratic Party (SDP), Adewole Adebayo, yesterday, launched a blistering attack on the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, accusing it of dragging Nigeria towards “one-man rule,” worsening poverty, insecurity and economic hardship across the country.

Adebayo, who spoke shortly after accepting his nomination as the SDP presidential flagbearer for the 2027 election at the Abubakar Tafawa Balewa Stadium in Bauchi, declared that Nigerians must exercise their democratic freedom to rescue the country from what he described as creeping authoritarianism and failed governance.

Besides, he accused Tinubu of attempting to dominate the nation’s political space and weaken opposition parties.

The SDP presidential candidate, while alleging that democratic institutions, particularly the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), were under pressure from the ruling government, claimed that the Commission’s Chairman, Prof. Joash Amupitan, was being prevented from operating independently.

He blamed the Tinubu administration for worsening economic hardship, unemployment and insecurity, insisting that millions of Nigerians now struggle daily to survive despite the nation’s abundant resources.

Adebayo, in the speech that blended political criticism, economic policy proposals, constitutional interpretation, historical references, and moral appeals, framed the next election as a battle for Nigeria’s survival, democratic identity, and national dignity.

He accused President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration of deepening hardship, weakening institutions, and transforming governance into what he described as a system driven by personal and elite enrichment.

Adebayo warned that Nigeria’s most serious crisis is the erosion of democratic freedom, which he said was being replaced by creeping authoritarianism.

He urged Nigerians to defend political pluralism, adding, “Use your freedom while you still have it. Use your freedom to give yourself a multi-party democracy.”

Adebayo, who accused Tinubu of political overreach and economic mismanagement, said: “President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is not satisfied to be the presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC). He wants to be the presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party , the Labour Party, SDP, National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) and even your birthday party.”

He further accused the administration of treating citizens as economic objects.

The SDP presidential candidate, while criticising the removal of fuel subsidy, linking it to inflation and worsening living conditions, alleged that the subsidy savings had not translated into development.

He also criticised the fiscal policy direction, describing it as excessive taxation without productivity.

Adebayo contrasted past Nigerian leaders with the current administration, citing Sir Ahmadu Bello, Nnamdi Azikiwe, Obafemi Awolowo, Tafawa Balewa, and Michael Okpara as examples of visionary leadership.

He, however, unveiled an ambitious governance blueprint, promising sweeping reforms if elected.

He said his administration would implement “500 programmes” aimed at reducing poverty and unemployment rapidly, saying that the goals would be driven by industrial revival, infrastructure expansion, and job creation.

Adebayo proposed free, compulsory, and continuous education from primary to tertiary level.

He also pledged a national health system where every Nigerian is insured through their National Identification Number (NIN).

Every citizen, he said, would receive four free medical screenings yearly to ensure early disease detection.

Adebayo promised to revive Nigeria’s struggling industrial base, including the Ajaokuta Steel Company, Oku Iboku Paper Mill, Aladja Steel, Bacita Sugar Company, as well as the Kaduna and Gombe textile industries, alongside the national refineries.

He said that Nigerians must use their democratic freedom to rescue the country from what he described as creeping authoritarianism and failed governance.