Adewole Adebayo, the Social Democratic Party's 2023 presidential candidate, has told President Bola Tinubu to either fight the country's security crisis or step down. Adebayo made the demand on Tuesday after meeting Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde in Ibadan, where he said he came to show solidarity with communities affected by recent attacks.
The SDP chieftain laid blame squarely on Tinubu's shoulders, arguing that as Commander-in-Chief, the President had failed in his constitutional duty to protect lives and property. He said insecurity in Oyo reflected a broader national collapse. "What Oyo State is going through today is what many states are going through," Adebayo told journalists.
Adebayo went further, suggesting that Tinubu had abandoned his core responsibility. "If you cannot secure your state, which is the heart of Yorubaland, what is the use of being government at all?" he asked. He said insecurity had crept into regions that were once considered safe, a sign that the federal government had lost control.
He accused the government of misplacing priorities. Adebayo alleged that security funds earmarked for fighting crime were instead being diverted toward political activities to destabilise opposition parties. "President Bola Tinubu is sitting on top of heavy security votes, which is used to destabilise political parties, instead of applying it for the armed forces to secure the country," he said.
Adebayo painted a grim picture of the nation's security landscape. He cited the beheading of a teacher and the killing of military generals, saying the situation had become dire. "That teacher who got beheaded, if he wanted to join the army, he would have joined the army. Now we are in a country where generals are being killed like chicken," he said.
The former presidential candidate was emphatic about what he expected from the President. "I told President Tinubu sometime last year that you have to use your gun to kill the terrorists or use a pen to resign. If you can't do it, quit the job. Other people will do it," Adebayo stated.
He urged Tinubu to drop politics and concentrate on governance and national security. Adebayo said the Nigerian armed forces were capable enough to defend not just Nigeria but the entire West Africa, but needed proper leadership. He also called for improved welfare and operational support for military personnel. "Leave politics aside. Focus on your job as Commander-in-Chief. Nigerian armed forces are capable of defending not only Nigeria but the entire West Africa, if only they had a Commander-in-Chief who can lead them properly," he added.
Adebayo warned that the country's security challenges were no longer a minor issue. "You cannot run an economy, you cannot provide jobs, yet you cannot secure lives. What is the use? Nigerian people need to understand that it's no longer a joke," he said.
