The Social Democratic Party (SDP) presidential candidate in the 2023 elections, Prince Adewole Adebayo, has said President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s emergence is not a blessing but a painful lesson from God to Nigerians.

Speaking at a Ramadan Iftar organized by the AAFAQ Foundation in Kano on Saturday, Adebayo said, “Four years ago, I was in the city of Kano campaigning for the president of Nigeria. And I could see that God wanted to teach us a lesson in Nigeria. And until we learn that lesson, there is nothing the world can do. Almighty Allah does not make mistakes.”

He stressed that Nigerians must not mistake Tinubu’s presidency as divine favor but as a wake-up call to embrace justice and reject divisions.

“It is better to live in a country that is a desert with no water, no oil, no mineral, but that has justice, than to live in a land of plenty with injustice,” he said.

On the Muslim–Muslim ticket, Adebayo mocked the idea, saying he told Nigerians that they would eventually realize its futility.

“When I came to Kano, people were smiling when they were mentioning Muslim–Muslim tickets. I said, don’t worry. Let the election finish. Time will come that if they were looking for two Muslims, they would not even get one.”

He also condemned global conflicts, particularly the ongoing Israel–Iran tensions, warning that innocent people should not be attacked during the holy month.

“This is not a time in which some people can gather in a place and decide that they need to raise fire and bring stone for people who are in their country just observing the holy month,” he said, urging Nigerian leaders to speak out against injustice abroad as well as at home.

AAFAQ National Coordinator, Dr Abdulmutallib Ahmad Muhammad, explained that the foundation invited Adebayo because of shared values in advocating for the right leadership.

He said the group, which is made up of Islamic clerics, is committed to reforming Nigerian politics through electing credible candidates and has already encouraged members to join the SDP.

Earlier, Adebayo paid a condolence visit to former Kano State governor, Malam Ibrahim Shekarau, at his Kano residence, over the death of his elder brother, Dahiru Shekarau.

He described Shekarau as “a true senior brother and friend of the SDP” whose patriotism and godliness inspired him.

In his response, Shekarau thanked Adebayo for the visit, saying it reflected genuine brotherhood beyond political platforms.

“This is exactly the kind of culture we want to propagate in Nigeria. It is not about political party, it is about our relationship and our common vision to serve humanity,” he said. (Weekend Trust)