Adewole Adebayo, presidential candidate of the Social Democratic Party (SDP), has raised concerns over the state of Nigeria’s democracy, accusing the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu of undermining electoral transparency and weakening democratic institutions. Speaking on the country’s political climate and preparations ahead of the 2027 general elections, Adebayo alleged that Nigeria’s electoral process was being manipulated in ways that threaten public confidence in democracy.
Adebayo Hails Option A4 Voting System
The SDP chieftain referenced the historic Option A4 voting system introduced during the Third Republic, describing it as one of the most transparent electoral frameworks in Nigeria’s history. He noted that the system, implemented under the late electoral commission chairman, Humphrey Nwosu, allowed voters to queue openly behind candidates while votes were counted at polling units. According to Adebayo, the credibility associated with the system has allegedly been eroded by practices he claimed encourage irregularities in election outcomes.
Allegations of Vote Inflation
He questioned the accuracy of large vote tallies announced during elections, arguing that some figures released by authorities do not correspond with the number of accredited voters observed at polling centres. “When Professor Omo Omoruyi and others developed democratic studies during the Third Republic and Humphrey Nwosu implemented Option A4, it was done because it was basic and transparent. Did anybody believe that President Tinubu can turn Option A4 into Option A-Fraud, where you announce 11 million votes when the people physically present are not even close to that figure? You count one, two, three, four and suddenly jump to ninety-nine,” he said, describing the process as “elliptical arithmetic.”
Executive Influence on Institutions
The former presidential candidate also alleged that democratic institutions were increasingly coming under the influence of the executive arm of government, warning against what he described as a growing concentration of political power. Adebayo further accused the ruling establishment of attempting to extend its influence beyond the governing party into opposition platforms and electoral structures.
Destabilization of Opposition
He alleged that opposition parties were being destabilised through internal crises allegedly orchestrated to weaken resistance ahead of future elections. The SDP leader cited recent tensions involving the party’s national secretariat, claiming that certain actions by security operatives were intended to intimidate opposition members and support individuals allegedly sympathetic to the government.
Call for Vigilance
Calling for vigilance among citizens, civil society groups and the media, Adebayo urged Nigerians to protect democratic values and ensure that the country’s electoral process remains credible and accountable. He maintained that the preservation of democracy requires active public participation and resistance against any attempt to undermine institutional independence or political plurality.
