The presidential candidate of the Social Democratic Party (SDP), Prince Adebayo Adewole, has warned that Nigeria risks sliding into electoral violence ahead of the 2027 general elections unless political leaders begin taking responsibility for the words and actions of their supporters.
Adewole’s warning came amid growing tension in Osun State, where he alleged that violence, intimidation and the alleged misuse of security agencies were threatening to undermine the democratic process.
The SDP candidate said President Bola Tinubu could not separate his responsibilities as Nigeria’s President from his position as leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC), insisting that the President must set the tone for his party and its supporters.
According to Adewole, Tinubu should publicly and unequivocally discourage any attempt to secure political advantage through threats, violence or intimidation.
“I call on President Bola Tinubu to be a responsible head of state and a responsible party leader, and to make sure that all across Nigeria, he sends a signal to his supporters that all is not fair in politics, and all is not fair even in war,” he said.
Adewole said the danger was not merely in physical attacks but also in the language of political leaders, arguing that inflammatory rhetoric could create an atmosphere in which supporters feel justified in taking matters into their own hands.
“Leadership is by itself about inspiration. Most countries rise and fall by the verbiage of their leadership,” he said.
He maintained that even armed conflict was governed by rules, making it unacceptable for political competition to become a battlefield where lives could be lost for electoral advantage.
“If we’re in warfare, there’s a limit, not to talk of politics,” he added.
Adewole questioned the effectiveness of political peace agreements when politicians allegedly continue to engage in intimidation, vote buying, electoral manipulation and provocative rhetoric after signing them.
“There is no point going around signing peace accords… and then following the peace accord with non-peaceful language, non-peaceful methods, unfair systems, rigging, vote buying and all kinds of intimidation,” he said.
He argued that the real test of government commitment to peaceful elections was not the number of agreements signed but whether perpetrators were arrested, prosecuted and punished.
“As for the police, they don’t need to tell us what they are doing. We just need to see the man in court. That’s how you know that you are actually taking action,” Adewole said.
He claimed that more than 40 people had lost their lives in Osun State, warning that failure to confront political violence could transform elections from democratic contests into violent confrontations.
“Violence begets violence. That is how an election becomes warfare,” he said.
Adewole said the credibility of the 2027 elections would depend largely on what happens months before voters arrive at polling units.
“Election goes beyond what happens on election day. Election starts from the atmosphere prior to the election,” he said.
He called on INEC, the police and other institutions involved in elections to begin preparations immediately, rather than waiting until the final weeks before the polls.
“We must start now, not wait until the last minute,” he added.
The SDP candidate also proposed reforms aimed at reducing presidential influence over electoral and security institutions.
He said that, if elected, he would not personally appoint the INEC chairman and board members, arguing that electoral institutions must be sufficiently independent to command public confidence.
In my own case, I will make sure that the INEC chairman and the INEC board of commissioners are not chosen by me,” he said.
He also advocated greater independence for the Attorney-General and police, saying institutions responsible for justice, elections and public security must not operate as extensions of presidential authority.
‘No ambition is worth Nigerian blood’
Adewole said his administration would operate a zero-tolerance policy on political violence, promising to expel anyone within his party or support structure found to be involved in violent activities.
“As president of Nigeria, I would never promote violence. I would prefer to condemn it. And I will expel anyone from my party or support group who has any hint of violence,” he declared.
He said Nigeria’s political culture must ultimately move away from fear, intimidation and desperation and towards a system where political disagreements are resolved through institutions rather than force.
“We will change our language, we will change the means by which we free civil society and make the country a civilised one. That is where the best of us can come out,” he said.
Adewole concluded that no political ambition should be allowed to consume the lives, livelihoods or peace of Nigerians.
“I think that the philosophy that no ambition should consume the blood, sweat or anxiety of any Nigerian is one which should be brought to practical, institutional and political reality in this generation,” he said.
