Social Democratic Party (SDP) presidential candidate, Adewole Adebayo, has sharply criticized President Bola Tinubu for his absence from the signing of the National Peace Accord ahead of the 2027 general elections.

Adebayo remarked that Tinubu’s failure to attend the ceremony in Abuja on Tuesday sends a “negative message to political actors,” reflecting poorly on the administration’s commitment to a peaceful electoral process.

 

Adebayo, who stated this in an interview on Channels TV, said, “President Tinubu not showing up today, he is showing that he is not committed to peace. He is sending a wrong signal to law enforcement, for the people who work for the government, that the President looks like he is not committed enough.”

 

He emphasized the need for Tinubu to publicly clarify his absence and reaffirm his dedication to the peace process.

 

Adebayo urged the President to “make a clear statement explaining why he is absent and making sure that he makes a statement committing himself to the peace process.”

He further argued that demonstrating commitment to democracy should take precedence over other considerations, saying, “There is no issue of state grandeur than the President showing that democracy is important. There is no more national security than the continuity of the state.”

 

Highlighting the importance of credible elections, Adebayo added, “A free, fair, and credible election is important for establishing civil government.” He also recalled that former President Muhammadu Buhari attended the peace accord signing four years ago, despite not being a candidate at the time. “Four years ago he [Tinubu] was around, and President Buhari, who was not even contesting, was around. It is good for you as a leader that you believe in a peace process,” he remarked.

 

Commenting on Tinubu’s decision to be represented at the ceremony by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, George Akume, Adebayo deemed it inadequate.

“This is an insult to the process. The SGF is not involved in the election. You have your Vice President who could come,” he stated.

 

Adebayo further questioned why President Tinubu, who works and lives in Abuja and who can influence the date the signing will be done was missing in action.

 

During the ceremony, various presidential candidates and representatives of political parties signed the National Peace Accord, organized by the National Peace Committee. The agreement obligates political actors to engage in peaceful conduct and issue-based campaigns before, during, and after the 2027 elections.

 

Notable attendees included Peter Obi, Omoyele Sowore, and Donald Duke, along with INEC Chairman Joash Amupitan and other stakeholders. Obi emphasized the need for credible and violence-free elections, urging Nigerians to reject candidates who violate the agreement.

 

Amupitan reaffirmed INEC’s neutrality, stating that the election should be a “marketplace of ideas, not a theatre of war,” while preparations continue for deploying approximately 1.4 million ad hoc personnel across more than 176,000 polling units.