Adewale Adebayo, the presidential flagbearer for the Social Democratic Party (SDP), asserts that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) exceeds its mandate when it attempts to verify the eligibility of political candidates. During an appearance on Sunday Politics, he clarified that the agency serves as a facilitator for transparency rather than a gatekeeper.
Adebayo likened the commission to a postal service, suggesting its function is strictly to gather and distribute information provided by political organizations to the public. He maintained that the duty of auditing candidate credentials and disputing potential inaccuracies falls upon citizens and stakeholders via the court system.
Addressing concerns about his own candidacy, Adebayo rejected claims of internal friction within the SDP. He characterized the publication of his name, along with those of the party’s vice-presidential nominee, 109 senatorial hopefuls, and 360 candidates for the House of Representatives, as a standard administrative procedure. Looking toward the 2027 general elections, he encouraged the public to prioritize substantive national issues like poverty, instability, and economic governance over political gossip.
