Prince Adewole Adebayo, the Social Democratic Party (SDP) presidential candidate in the 2023 elections, has accused President Bola Tinubu of not respecting federal character in his appointments.
He also accused the President of not relating to the All Progressives Congress (APC) constitution, leading to some members dumping the ruling party.
Adebayo spoke against allegations that the president’s appointments are at variance with the federal character constitutional provisions.
He said, “You will see how President Tinubu governs now. Nobody in the APC is ready to check him. The way President Tinubu governs is violating the Constitution.
“There is no proper federal character spread in his appointments. He’s not following Chapter 2 of the Constitution. He’s not even respecting the APC Constitution and many other issues. I’ve seen signs of no checks and balances within their system. That is why some of them, not all, find it uncomfortable to continue there,” he said.
He also warned Nigerians to be vigilant and watchful as politicians defect from one political party to another ahead of the 2027 general elections.
He warned Nigerians not to be deceived by the gale of defections as many of those moves are self-serving and self-preserving and have nothing to do with the interest of the masses.
He advised Nigerians to watch out for defections from belief or ideology.
“Politics is a career. It’s a profession. To some people, it’s even a business. So, a lot of the moves may be self-serving and self-preserving. People are positioning themselves for what the future will bring for them.
“People should pay attention to defections and movements that arise from belief or ideology. Many are defecting because the government of the day or where they belong before no longer serves their interests. But, where the movement around has to do with your gain or feeling, or where it is to boost your career, then it’s for the public to evaluate properly. So, all defections are not equal. Some are equal to selfishness, some are equal to principle, but it’s for the public to judge,” he stated.
Continuing, he said: “If you listen to the narrative of those changing parties, it suggests that they are moving for things that affect them personally, not really because of things that affect the people.
“There may be others who are creeping, who have not expressed the purpose and the reason they are moving, but those who have given interviews, spoken extensively and given background to why they are changing positions, all boil down to personal ambition, personal grievances, some unrealised promises and all of that. So, it’s a bit on the personal side.”
On his party’s ability to control the political heavyweights defecting to it, he said they just need to understand that it was lack of discipline and party supremacy that made them leave their original party and that the SDP’s constitution is supreme over any member of the party.
He noted that in some other parties, like the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), personalities are superior to the party and even the government institutions, and that is why some of them are leaving the party.
“If we, the SDP, don’t learn from the imprint and lawlessness in the APC and PDP, then what is the rationale for us to say that we want to govern Nigeria? We need to learn from the mistakes of the big party.
“That is why the SDP is doing its best to inform people that the party is supreme. It’s supreme over me, the National Chairman, the NWC and the NEC; the party is supreme over every other person. The Constitution of the party is only subject to the Constitution of Nigeria.
“So, if you don’t respect the Constitution of the SDP, then if you are given a public office, you will most likely not respect the Constitution of Nigeria. That’s what we are trying to do in the SDP,” he said.
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