By Mike Odiakose, Abuja

The National Leader and candidate of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) in the 2023 presidential election, Prince Adewole Adebayo has described President Bola Tinubu as a maverick in politics but a total failure in governance.

He noted that Tinubu could easily A1 in politics but when it comes to governance, he would always score F9.

He stressed that the only problem the president has is how to convert his A1 in politics into good governance in form of substantive legacies.

“That is a problem because the A1 in politics only means that he knows the political class very well; he knows what moves and motivates them as well as how to recruit them.

“But I wish he knows what Nigerian people want, which are basic services, economic stability and security. If he cannot save lives in Benue, Plateau and many parts of the country, then he has failed,” he stressed.

He said President Tinubu ought to have known that politics ended the moment he got the power and ascended the presidency and that he should have provided the needed governance and managed the diversity of Nigeria well.

He lamented that lacked the administrative capacity to offer governance to Nigerians including poor understanding of how to manage the country economy. He, however, added that the only the only skill he has in the management of the economy “is the economization of truth, which basically is what they do rather than manage the economy.”

“What we want to do differently in the SDP is to focus the entire politics on the welfare of the people. There will be less controversy if we address the issue of our people going hungry, their health, housing, education problem and others,” he added.

He also lambasted politicians who are defecting from the opposition parties to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), describing them as the government’s tools to dampen the spirit of the opposition parties ahead of the 2027 elections.

He noted that many of them did not join opposition by choice, stressing that those who joined by choice can never defect to the ruling party without tangible progress on ground.

He said: “The so-called defections are sometimes coming out of the closet of people claiming to be in opposition because they have been compulsorily retired into opposition, not by choice. When you choose to be in opposition by choice, you have access to the ruling party but you just don’t agree with them, and the reasons for that are well articulated, which has to do with the interest of the Nigerian people. There is zero risk of you defecting unless those fundamental disagreements or problems have now been eliminated.

“Everybody in Nigeria will know that poverty is no longer there, that insecurity is no longer there and corruption and poor ethics that have dominated our politics have now changed. Anything other than that, you will find out that people who miss the bus of the ruling party tend to wait at the bus stop of opposition until the next bus comes and then they hop along. There is nothing new.

“Many of the defectors are being primed and kept waiting for the dramatisation of resurgence by the ruling party. They just keep them somewhere so that when the time comes, they will use them to demoralise the opposition.”

By Mike Odiakose, Abuja

Leader of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) and its 2023 presidential candidate, Prince Adewole Adebayo has expressed disappointment with the way and manner President Bola Tinubu’s visit to Benue State, over the recent killings by Fulani militant group, was trivialized and reduced to politics.

Insisting that Nigerians must be serious with the way they tackle important issues, Adebayo condemned Tinubu’s Benue town hall meeting during the visit as sickening.

Writing in his official X handle, he said: “Our entire governmental doctrine and leadership mentality in Nigeria needs a thorough revamp and our people desperately need mental liberation.

“How could the emphasis be on the 2027 election and little on the sadistic massacre?”
Adebayo took exception to President Tinubu’s emphasis on his sacrifice to visit Benue instead of addressing the leadership lapses that led to such wanton destruction of innocent lives.
He said: “The bulk of the speech is on the sacrifice @officialABAT had to make to promptly respond to the killing, instead of critical questions about failure of leadership and breach of the constitutional duty to secure the citizens.

“No observer would believe that the people of this great state have just suffered a dastardly and gruesome massacre merely a few days ago”, he said.

The SDP Leader also condemned the traditional rulers in the affected area for their insensitivity to the plight of their subjects.

He noted that rather than grieve over the unfortunate incident; the traditional rulers were busy endorsing Tinubu for a second term in 2027.

“That the traditional rulers felt that they had to pledge their ‘massive support’ for @officialABAT in the 2027 election on this sombre occasion is both pathetic and undignified. I could not believe my eyes and ears.

“The political elite’s deterioration seems irredeemable. A new direction is inevitable; May God help Nigeria. We need to bid farewell to poverty and insecurity in Nigeria,” he stated.

By Eze Okechukwu, Abuja

The President of the Senate, Godswill Akpabio yesterday hailed President Bola Tinubu for taking courageous decisions as the leader of Nigeria, describing him as one of the architects of Nigeria’s democracy.

Akpabio made the commendation in his remarks at the joint sitting of the House of Representatives and the Senate which was addressed by President Tinubu as part of the activities to mark the 2025 Democracy Day celebration at the National Assembly, Abuja.

According to Senator Akpabio, “The National Assembly is proud to host you, our President, our compatriot, and one of our own, as you fulfil the solemn constitutional duty of addressing the nation.

“This chamber honours you not merely as the President, but as one of the architects of the very democratic foundation we commemorate today. Under President Tinubu’s leadership, we have seen transformation in his bold approach to difficult reforms.

“From unifying the foreign exchange market, to local government autonomy, to the formation of the regional development commissions, to Nigerian Education Loan Fund, to removing fuel subsidies, to attracting foreign investments, to tax reforms, this administration has not shied away from the hard decisions required to stabilize and grow our economy.

“These efforts are gradually restoring investor confidence, laying the foundations for long-term prosperity, and refocusing government expenditure toward productive investments.

“Mr President, we commend you for your boldness, your vision, and your unwavering belief in Nigeria’s future. Likewise, the 10th National Assembly,” he said.

The Senate President also referred to Tinubu as a great democrat who suffered personal losses for democracy to thrive in Nigeria.

“Many, including Your Excellency, stood tall in those days of darkness. While others chose silence or compromise, you chose courage.

“At great personal cost, NADECO, which you were part of, helped sustain the flame of liberty when it was most at risk of going out. So as we mark this day, let us remember those who bled so we could vote.

“Those who took risks so we could speak. Those who were buried so that freedom might rise. Let us also pay tribute to all those who played pivotal roles in Nigeria’s democratic transition.This year’s theme—“26 Years of Democracy: Renewing Our Commitment to National Development”—is not a slogan. It is a call to purpose,” he said.

However, speaking on the achievements of the National Assembly ahead of its second anniversary on June 13, Akpabio said “from its inception, the 10th Senate demonstrated a renewed vigor for addressing the country’s complex challenges through purposeful legislation.

“This commitment is reflected in its extraordinary output: a total of 844 bills have been introduced within its first two years—an unprecedented figure that underscores the Senate’s proactive posture in tackling pressing national issues.

“Out of this impressive volume, 107 bills are currently at the committee stage, undergoing the necessary scrutiny and stakeholder engagement that ensures quality legislation, 206 bills are awaiting first reading, reflecting a robust pipeline of legislative ideas prepared for formal introduction, and 409 bills have advanced to second reading.

“Notably, the Senate has passed 96 bills, a record for any Nigerian Senate at this stage of the legislative cycle. Even more significantly, 52 of these bills have been passed by the President, translating into enforceable laws that will shape governance, economic development, public welfare, and national security.

“These bills include the National Education Fund, local government autonomy bill, regional development commissions, tax reforms, universities and tertiary institutions, agricultural institutions etc.

“Moreover, the Tenth Senate has acted decisively on 26 Executive Bills, showcasing a healthy balance of cooperation and oversight in its engagement with the executive arm.

“These executive-sponsored legislations address key policy areas and benefit from the Senate’s thorough review and refinement before passage.

“Beyond bills, the 10th Senate has received a total of 80 petitions from citizens and civil society. This is a testimony to public trust in the institution. Of these, 18 petitions have been fully adopted, providing redress, transparency, and institutional accountability,” he said.

As part of activities marking Nigeria’s 2025 Democracy Day celebration, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu conferred national honours on dozens of distinguished Nigerians, including posthumous awards for late pro-democracy activists, politicians, journalists, and civil rights leaders.

The honourees were described by the President as ‘heroes and heroines of democracy.’ Tinubu noted that the awards serve as a tribute to the sacrifices made in the struggle to entrench and sustain democracy in Nigeria.

The presiding officers of the National Assembly were formally decorated by the President with the award of national honours earlier conferred on them.