The presidential candidate of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) in the 2027 general election, Adewole Adebayo, has alleged that President Bola Tinubu informed political party leaders that he could not supervise a free and fair election because he is also seeking re-election.

Mr Adebayo, who was the party’s flagbearer in the 2023 election, said during an interview on Channels Television on Wednesday that Mr Tinubu vowed to use the advantage of incumbency to his benefit.

According to the politician, Mr Tinubu made the remarks while hosting the Inter-Party Advisory Council (IPAC), members of the ruling All Progressives Congress, and other politicians for Iftar in Abuja during Ramadan.

He said the opposition political parties voiced their dissatisfaction with the president’s handling of the Electoral Act during the event, saying though he was not present at the meeting, the national chairman of the Allied Peoples Movement (APM), Yusuf Dantalle, delivered a speech on behalf of the parties.

Opposition parties had criticised the amended Electoral Act, describing some of its provisions as “anti-democratic,” arguing that the act aims to weaken political competition ahead of the 2027 election.

“The speech was basically to remind the president, ‘You are our head of state; therefore, you are the father of the nation, and the approach and angle you have taken to this electoral act is not good for the long-term health of democracy, and you need to listen to us,'” Mr Adebayo said.

“And the president said, ‘Well, you have provoked me, and I’m going to now say my mind; I didn’t want to talk before, but now I’ll talk. Why should I do that? Why should I make it easy for anybody? Why should I give you any free and fair election when I’m also a contestant? I was in the opposition, and I suffered and bore it like that, so it’s your turn. Why should I help you when I have the majority, so why should I use it? I have to use it to my advantage’,” he quoted the president as saying.

Mr Adebayo accused the president, who has previously contested and won elections as a governor, senator, and presidential candidate, of prioritising his personal electoral interests over his constitutional responsibilities.

He said that while Mr Tinubu, as the ruling party’s flagbearer, seeks re-election, he must ensure a credible and transparent electoral process.

Mr Adebayo argued that the president should not manipulate electoral laws, funding arrangements, or regulatory oversight to gain an advantage over his opponents.

“When you are the incumbent, and you are the head of state, and you are contesting an election, and you are also conducting it, you should separate your personal interest as a contestant from your statutory and constitutional mandate as the father of the nation and as a public officer. 

“So you should not skew your appointment, funding arrangements, regulatory oversight, and all of that to favour you. And we tried to make that clear when we saw the first time the kind of electoral act that he was pushing support for, and mostly National Assembly members to commit legislative suicide by legislating themselves out of relevance,” Mr Adebayo stated.

Mr Tinubu’s media aides, Bayo Onanuga and Daniel Bwala, did not respond to the  Peoples Gazette’s request for comments on the allegation.