2027: Tinubu deserves congratulations if he’s re-elected in 2027

The presidential candidate of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) in the 2023 election, Prince Adewole Adebayo, has said President Bola Tinubu should be congratulated if he secures re-election through a free, fair and credible electoral process in 2027.

Adebayo stated that the priority for political actors should be addressing the challenges facing Nigerians and safeguarding the integrity of the electoral system rather than engaging in political distractions.

Speaking on Vanguard’s Politics Hub, the SDP chieftain said the outcome of any transparent election should be respected by all contestants.

“If we do free, fair and credible election, Tinubu wins again, he deserves a handshake,” he said.

Adebayo dismissed concerns about the perceived strength of Tinubu’s political support, arguing that electoral success depends on a candidate’s ability to connect with voters through ideas, policies and direct engagement.

He maintained that many Nigerians remain outside the circles where political discussions dominate, particularly on social media and television platforms.

“I’m not a social media candidate. I’m not the candidate of television studios and early morning shows. I am a candidate who wants to go to the people and meet them where they are,” he said.

According to him, the daily struggle for survival occupies the attention of many citizens more than political debates online.

“Nigerians are not online, they are looking for food to eat. Many don’t have electricity. Many don’t have money for data,” he stated.

Drawing from his experiences during visits to communities across the country, Adebayo claimed that some residents are disconnected from mainstream political discourse and are unfamiliar with prominent political figures.

“I show them pictures of Tinubu and many of them do not recognise him. If you go to some communities in Taraba State and mention Tinubu, many people will look at you as if you are talking about a trader,” he said.

He stressed that political engagement should extend beyond digital platforms, insisting that parties and candidates must reconnect with citizens at the grassroots level if they hope to earn public trust and support.

Appeal Court halts enforcement of judgement ordering ADC, four parties’ deregistration

The Court of Appeal in Abuja has suspended the enforcement of a Federal High Court judgement that directed the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to deregister the African Democratic Congress (ADC) and four other political parties.

A three-member panel of the appellate court, headed by Justice Abba Mohammed, issued the order in a unanimous ruling delivered on Tuesday.

The court held that the trial judge, Justice Peter Lifu of the Federal High Court, proceeded to deliver the judgement despite an earlier directive from the Court of Appeal ordering a stay of proceedings in the case.

According to the appellate court, the lower court had on May 22 been instructed to suspend further action on the matter pending the determination of appeals already filed before it.

In its ruling, the panel said Justice Lifu acted in disregard of the subsisting order of the appellate court when he went ahead to pronounce judgement in the suit.

The decision effectively puts on hold the implementation of the Federal High Court ruling that sought to compel INEC to remove the ADC and four other political parties from its register until the pending appeals are determined.

The Federal High Court in Abuja on Tuesday revoked the bail it granted Omoyele Sowore, the publisher of Sahara Reporters, over his absence in court for his trial.

Justice Mohammed Umar, in a ruling on an oral application made by the lawyer to the Department of State Services (DSS), Akinkolu Kehinde, SAN, also issued a bench warrant for his arrest.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the DSSS is prosecuting Sowore for allegedly making false claims against the person of President Bola Tinubu by referring to him as “a criminal” in a post he made on his “X” and Facebook accounts.

Justice Umar had, on June 5, fixed Tuesday for ruling on application by Sowore, through his lawyer, Marshall Abubakar, seeking the judge’s recusal ftom the case.

However, when the case was called, neither Sowore not his lawyer was in court.

The court was then informed that the defendant had sent a letter seeking an adjournment of the matter.

But responding, the DSS counsel opposed the application for adjournment sought.

Kehinde argued that there was no cogent reason adduced by the defendant for the application.

He, therefore, prayed the court to revoke his bail and issue a bench warrant for his arrest.(NAN)