The presidential candidate of the Social Democratic Party (SDP), Prince Adewole Adebayo, has called on President Bola Tinubu to resign, accusing him of breaching the Constitution by directing the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to unfreeze the bank accounts of the Osun State Government.
Adebayo, who defended the independence of the anti-graft agency, said the President’s intervention in a matter already before the courts amounted to executive interference in the judicial process and undermined the rule of law.
He insisted that contrary to calls for the resignation of EFCC Chairman Ola Olukoyede, the commission was merely carrying out its constitutional mandate.
According to him, if the Osun State Government believed the freezing order was wrongful, the appropriate course of action was to challenge it in court rather than seek presidential intervention.
He argued that the EFCC operates under judicial supervision and that any party dissatisfied with its actions has legal remedies, including applying to have the accounts unfrozen or seeking damages through the courts.
Adebayo maintained that the President has no constitutional authority to direct the EFCC on how to conduct investigations or enforce court-backed orders, describing such intervention as a breach of constitutional principles and the independence of law enforcement institutions.
The SDP standard-bearer said his party has consistently respected the autonomy of law enforcement agencies, even when it disagreed with some of their actions, preferring legal remedies over political attacks on institutions.
He pledged that under an SDP administration, anti-corruption agencies would operate independently and without political interference.
Commenting on President Tinubu’s recent meeting with Catholic bishops, Adebayo said the clerics offered sincere counsel in the national interest and should not be criticised for speaking truth to those in authority.
He urged religious leaders to remain steadfast in praying for Nigeria while continuing to hold public office holders accountable.
On the development of Northern Nigeria, Adebayo described the region as one of the nation’s greatest strategic assets, citing its vast arable land, population and natural resources as critical to Nigeria’s economic transformation under responsible leadership.
He argued that Nigeria’s challenges stem from poor governance rather than regional differences, insisting that every part of the country has the capacity to thrive under accountable leadership.
Speaking on the growing debate over opposition unity ahead of the 2027 general election, Adebayo dismissed the fixation on producing a single opposition candidate, noting that the Constitution provides for only one President at a time.
He urged Nigerians to focus on electing a competent leader capable of addressing the country’s challenges instead of becoming distracted by political permutations.
Adebayo also criticised the National Assembly for allegedly placing personal interests above those of ordinary Nigerians, calling on citizens across party lines to unite in defence of good governance, stronger democratic institutions and accountable leadership.