The camp of the presidential candidate of the Social Democratic Party, SDP, Adewole Adebayo, has urged Nigerians to scrutinise those aspiring to lead the country ahead of the 2027 general election while faulting President Bola Tinubu over reports that he will be absent from the campaigns.

The Movement Adebayo for President, MAP, made its position known in a statement titled ‘Choosing Between President Tinubu and Citizen Adebayo: A Social Democratic Manifesto That Signposts National Redemption’.

Highlighting Adebayo’s manifesto tagged ‘Farewell to Poverty and Insecurity’, the campaign team said the SDP candidate is a better alternative with a policy framework focused on poverty reduction, national security and economic development.

The SDP presidential candidate’s camp criticised Tinubu over his reported decision not to participate directly in the APC’s presidential campaign tour, arguing that candidates should engage with voters and explain their policy proposals.

According to the campaign team, the President’s decision to concentrate on governance while the APC Presidential Campaign Council campaigns on his behalf raises questions about direct engagement between presidential candidates and the electorate.

The campaign team further urged APC governors and party leaders to prioritise national interests in their political calculations, expressing concern over the country’s economic and security challenges.

It, however, said Nigerians should look beyond political affiliations and assess candidates based on their policy proposals, governing philosophy and plans for addressing the country’s development needs.

Highlighting Adebayo’s policy document, the campaign team described ‘Farewell to Poverty and Insecurity’ as a comprehensive blueprint for addressing Nigeria’s socioeconomic challenges.

It said the manifesto outlines a development agenda built around 12 priority areas, including national security, food security, electricity, affordable energy, jobs and enterprise, education and skills development, healthcare, modern infrastructure, innovation, transparent government, national unity and Nigeria’s international relations.

According to the campaign team, the document provides proposed strategies for moving Nigeria from poverty to prosperity, strengthening national security and improving citizens’ access to essential services.

It noted that the manifesto also incorporates a four-year delivery framework intended to establish measurable targets and track progress throughout a potential Adebayo administration.

According to the team, Adebayo’s first 100 days in office would focus on establishing institutional mechanisms for monitoring government performance and identifying priority areas for intervention.

Among the proposed measures are the establishment of a Presidential Delivery and Performance Office, directives to Federal Government ministries, departments and agencies, MDAs, on implementing the objectives of Chapter II of the Constitution, and baseline assessments of the security, power, food, health, education and infrastructure sectors.

The framework also proposes transparency measures for public procurement and expenditure, federal-state delivery agreements and the publication of a presidential performance dashboard.

The team said these measures are intended to strengthen accountability and provide Nigerians with a mechanism for tracking government performance.

The campaign team added that Adebayo’s proposed priorities would include improving security, stabilising essential services, expanding agricultural production, strengthening domestic energy supply and initiating priority electricity and transport projects. The plan also proposes youth skills development and employment programmes as part of efforts to expand economic opportunities.

According to the team, in years two and three, Adebayo’s administration will focus on expanding industrial clusters and infrastructure projects, improving electricity distribution, and investing in irrigation, food storage and processing, pharmaceutical production, technology, manufacturing, rail transportation, broadband, housing and water supply.

In the fourth year, the team said an Adebayo-led SDP government will focus on completing priority projects, strengthening successful programmes through permanent institutions, publishing audited performance reports and presenting Nigerians with an end-of-term scorecard.

2027: Adebayo’s camp faults Tinubu’s reported campaign absence

Arise Television’s Morning Show anchor, Rufai Oseni, has criticised presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress, NDC, Mr Peter Obi, over his alleged lack of visibility and policy inconsistencies ahead of the 2027 general election.

Oseni also raised concerns over reported disagreements between Obi’s political movement, the Obidient Movement, and the NDC, questioning whether the party was adequately addressing the expectations of its supporters.

He made the remarks on Friday while reacting to comments by a Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, chieftain, Chief Don Ulasi, on the opposition’s preparedness for the 2027 presidential election.

Ulasi had described Obi as the only serious opposition figure capable of challenging President Bola Tinubu, citing the government’s shortcomings in areas such as inflation and rising food prices.

However, the PDP chieftain expressed doubts about the opposition’s ability to capitalise on public dissatisfaction, saying he had not seen sufficient grassroots mobilisation or town hall meetings by the NDC leadership.

Responding, Oseni questioned Obi’s political organisation and the reported disagreements between his camp and the NDC.

He said, “And that goes back to the problem that even this Peter Obi you are talking about. Are you really sure because he’s also having infighting with his NDC political party.

“As we speak today, there are loggerheads between OK movement and NDC, which there’s a lot of disagreement, which a lot of people even say they don’t even trust the high ups there in the NDC as regards if they are even truly after their hopes and aspiration.”

The broadcaster also faulted Obi over his position on petrol subsidy, arguing that the former Anambra State governor had failed to maintain a consistent stance on the policy.

“today, where is his manifesto? He was nowhere, he was found nowhere in the subsidy debate. He said something, then he flip flop on the subsidy.

“At first, he said, ‘Oh, I will keep subsidy. Now he’s saying he will remove subsidy again. But he said he will correct the corruption in there,” Oseni said.

He further argued that Obi had lost some of the supporters who backed him during the 2023 presidential election, attributing the development partly to what he described as inconsistency in his positions.

“So a lot of people have found him flip-flopping, and he has also lost a lot of people from the last election cycle that supported him,” he added.

DAILY POST reports that Obi’s political platform and the cohesion of opposition parties are likely to remain key issues as political actors position themselves ahead of the 2027 general election.

2027: Peter Obi nowhere to be found – Rufai Oseni