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A former presidential candidate of the Social Democratic Party, SDP, Adewole Adebayo, has distanced the party from ongoing opposition coalition talks ahead of the 2027 general elections.
He said the party does not believe elite political alliances are the solution to defeating the ruling party, stressing the need to mobilise disengaged Nigerian voters.
In a statement issued by his media team, Adebayo argued that many coalition efforts lack credibility, discipline and shared values.
“Strategic partners in an election are not necessarily politicians. The real partners are segments of society, those who have not been participating in the process,” he said.
He identified voter apathy as a major concern, noting that a large percentage of registered voters did not participate in the last general election.
According to him, any meaningful political alliance should focus on engaging this inactive population rather than negotiating power-sharing among political elites.
“If you want to have a coalition, you must find where the 80 per cent who didn’t show up are and address why they stayed away,” he added.
Adebayo also expressed scepticism about current coalition efforts, warning that aligning with individuals lacking accountability could undermine public trust.
He disclosed that while the SDP has held talks with some parties, many discussions stalled due to internal crises within those platforms.
He said the party is pursuing a “civic coalition” involving grassroots groups, professional bodies and ordinary citizens.
“Our kind of coalition is when civic groups and ordinary Nigerians begin to show interest,” he said.
He added that formal alliances may only become viable after party primaries.
Adebayo maintained that the SDP’s focus goes beyond winning elections, stressing the need for governance built on accountability and principles.
