Osaretin Osadebamwen
Prince Adewole Adebayo, presidential candidate of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) in the 2023 election, has alleged that the poll was not a contest among candidates but rather a battle between the opposition and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
Speaking in an interview on Channels Tv on Sunday, Adebayo insisted that INEC failed in its statutory duty to conduct a credible election, arguing that the commission became the real opponent of opposition candidates.
“The publication of candidates’ names by INEC is a statutory obligation, not a favour to political parties,” he said, stressing that the commission’s role should have been limited to receiving and displaying names submitted by parties for public scrutiny.
He maintained that it is the electorate, not INEC, that should evaluate the qualifications and claims of candidates, adding that inaccuracies in submissions should be challenged by citizens through lawful means.
Adebayo described the 2023 presidential election as “a charade” and declared that the results announced by INEC were “fake.”
He argued that confidence in the electoral process was undermined, noting that the election was effectively “a contest against INEC rather than fellow candidates.”
According to him, elections should be genuine contests between candidates, not battles against state institutions. “Elections are like examinations where outcomes should reflect merit and effort,” he said.
He expressed hope that the 2027 election would be conducted in a manner that no candidate would perceive INEC as an adversary.
Adebayo also appealed to the Nigeria Police Force to remain impartial during elections, stressing that neutrality of state institutions is crucial for democracy.
He dismissed calls for opposition unity based solely on electoral arithmetic, saying he supports broader national unity instead. “Nigerians across political divides should work together to rescue the country,” he said.
He alleged that many members of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) had themselves become victims of what he described as “one-man rule.”
According to him, some elected officials were denied fair opportunities because only individuals whose names were in President Tinubu’s “book of life” emerged as candidates.
He further claimed that winners of party primaries were replaced with favoured individuals, undermining internal democracy.
Adebayo rejected reliance on the official 2023 election figures, insisting that “anyone relying on those results is legitimising fraud.”
He alleged that the 2023 presidential results announced by INEC lacked credibility and were products of manipulation and vote buying.
He warned that analysing future elections based on those figures would be misleading.
Commenting on remarks by Cardinal John Onaiyekan, Adebayo said concerns about the credibility of the 2027 election were legitimate.
He accused President Tinubu of acting like an electoral contestant rather than a neutral Head of State.
He further alleged that the President should not be defending INEC because the commission is constitutionally expected to operate independently.
Despite his criticisms, Adebayo said voter participation remains the strongest safeguard for free and fair elections, warning that voter apathy poses a greater threat to democracy than manipulation.
