LAGOS, NIGERIA — Adewole Adebayo, the 2023 presidential candidate of the Social Democratic Party (SDP), has declared that President Bola Tinubu will be removed from office in the 2027 elections, asserting that the SDP will produce Nigeria’s next leader.

Adebayo made the bold statement on Friday during an interview on Arise Television’s The Morning Show, where he expressed confidence in his party’s ability to unseat the incumbent administration.

“Tinubu is going to be removed from power, that one is sure, and there would be an SDP president,” he stated.

Confirms 2027 Presidential Ambition

The SDP chieftain also confirmed that he would run for president again in the 2027 elections, regardless of the growing number of political figures defecting to the party.

“Let us understand something. I don’t worry about that; everybody who is coming in knows I will run in 2027. Any coward who will feel threatened by people coming to his party cannot be president,” Adebayo asserted.

His remarks come in the wake of the recent defection of former Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai to the SDP. El-Rufai’s move has sparked discussions about a possible power shift within the party, as he has been actively engaging with political figures to strengthen SDP’s influence.

Welcoming El-Rufai’s Defection

Despite concerns about El-Rufai’s political maneuvers within the party, Adebayo welcomed the former governor’s arrival, describing him as a “patriotic Nigerian” with strong leadership qualities.

“I see him as a patriotic Nigerian, hard-working, very effective in an area where we don’t have effective people in government, that’s all,” Adebayo said.

As the 2027 elections approach, the political landscape continues to evolve, with opposition figures strategizing to challenge President Tinubu’s administration.