By MBACHU GODWIN Abuja
The presidential candidate of the Social Democratic Party, SDP, in the coming 2027 general elections, Prince Adewole Adebayo, has accused President Bola Tinubu of using poverty and economic hardship as instruments to weaken citizens and prevent them from demanding accountability from government.
According to him “The poverty that Nigerians are facing is artificial, government-inflicted and self-tolerated by the people,”
The SDP leader noted that rather than empowering citizens through quality education, economic opportunities and social welfare, the government has presided over conditions that keep people dependent on political patronage and handouts.
He stated that a hungry population would find it difficult to hold government accountable.
Adebayo criticized the Tinubu administration for failing to uphold the principles of governance contained in Chapter Two of the Constitution, which outlines the responsibilities of government towards citizens.
He argued that if public resources were properly managed and deployed according to constitutional provisions, the level of poverty, unemployment and social dislocation currently witnessed in the country would be impossible.
There is no part of Nigeria where you will not find children selling on the streets or begging. Some receive no schooling at all, while others receive schooling without education, .
He further accused the APC government of allowing the education system to deteriorate to the point where it produces graduates who are ill-equipped to contribute meaningfully to national development.
He warned that a poorly educated population is easier to manipulate politically and less likely to hold leaders accountable.
According to him, the prevailing conditions have created a society where citizens are more willing to accept short-term relief and political gifts than demand long-term reforms and good governance.
He argued that this situation benefits politicians who exploit poverty to secure loyalty and suppress public scrutiny.
The SDP stalwart maintained that meaningful political change would only occur when Nigerians reject what he described as a culture of dependency and begin holding leaders accountable for the nation’s vast resources and opportunities.
He added that the task before opposition parties and reform-minded leaders is not merely to defeat President Tinubu at the polls, but to awaken citizens to their constitutional rights and responsibilities.
According to Adebayo, once Nigerians become politically conscious and refuse to be controlled by poverty and patronage, the country’s democratic and economic fortunes will begin to change.
