The leader of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) and its presidential candidate in the 2023 elections, Prince Adewole Adebayo, has descried as lawless the All Progress Congress (APC)-led government of President Bola Tinubu, saying the president violates the country’s constitution without let or hindrance.
He lamented that there are currently no checks and balances in the system as the president does not respect federal character in his appointment.
He also noted that the president does not respect the APC’s constitution, adding that, that is why some members are defecting to other political parties.
He said: “You will see the way President Tinubu is governing now. Nobody in the APC is ready to check him. It is clear that the way President Tinubu governs is violating the Constitution.
“There is no proper federal character spread in his appointments. He’s not following Chapter 2 of the Constitution. He’s not even respecting the APC Constitution and many other issues. I’ve seen signs that there is no check and balance within their system. That is why some of them, not all of them, find it uncomfortable to continue there.”
He also warned Nigerians to be vigilant and watchful as politicians defect from one political party to the other ahead of the 2027 general election.
He warned Nigerians not be deceived by the gale of defections as a lot of those moves are self-serving and self-preserving and have nothing to do with the interest of the masses.
He advised Nigerians to watch out for defections that arise from belief or ideology.
“Politics is a career. It’s a profession. To some people, it’s even a business. So, a lot of the moves may be self-serving and self-preserving. People are positioning themselves for what the future will bring for them.
“People should pay attention to defections and movements that arise from belief or ideology. Many are defecting because the government of the day or where they belong before is no longer serving their interests. But, where the movement around has to do with your personal gain or feeling, or where it is to boost personal career, then it’s for the public to properly evaluate. So, all defections are not equal. Some are equal to selfishness, some are equal to principle but it’s for the public to judge,” he stated.
According to him, “If you listen to the narrative of those who are changing parties, it suggests that they are moving for things that affect them personally, not really because of things that affect the people.
“There may be others who are moving quietly, who have not expressed the purpose and the reason they are moving, but those who have given interviews, spoken extensively and given background to why they are changing positions, all boil down to personal ambition, personal grievances, some unrealised promises and all of that. So, it’s a bit on the personal side.”
On his party’s ability to control the political heavyweights that are defecting to it, he said they just need to understand that it was lack of discipline and party supremacy that made them leave their original party and that in the SDP, its constitution is supreme over any member of the party.
He noted that in some other parties like the ruling APC, personalities are superior to the party and even government institutions and that is why some of them are leaving the party.
“If we, the SDP, don’t learn from the imprint and lawlessness in the APC and PDP, then what is the rationale for us to say that we want to govern Nigeria? We need to learn from the mistakes of the big party.
“That is why the SDP is doing its level best to let people know that the party is supreme. It’s supreme over me, it’s supreme over the National Chairman, the NWC and the NEC; the party is supreme over every other person. The constitution of the party is only subject to the Constitution of Nigeria.
“So, if you don’t respect the constitution of the SDP, then if you are given a public office, you are most likely not going to respect the Constitution of Nigeria. That’s what we are trying to do in the SDP,” he said. (THISDAY)
