Presidential candidate of the Social Democratic Party (SDP), Adewole Adebayo, has said political leadership should be driven by patriotism and competence, not personal wealth.
Adebayo said Nigerians seeking political office should not be judged by how much money they have, stressing that politics should focus on solving problems affecting the country.
He made the remarks while explaining his political philosophy and his decision to seek national office.
According to him, the late Chief Obafemi Awolowo was a wealthy man but did not rely on his personal wealth to run the Action Group or the United Progressive Party (UPN).
Adebayo said the SDP also believes that candidates do not need to be rich to contest elections.
He said, “You have to be talented. You have to be patriotic. That’s what matters in our politics.”
The SDP candidate also said he had not been focused on accumulating personal wealth for about 20 years, adding that his priority was intellectual work and creating opportunities for others.
Adebayo said he was more interested in solving Nigeria’s collective problems than pursuing political positions for personal recognition.
He identified poverty and insecurity as major challenges that require strong federal action.
According to him, a governor cannot independently address insecurity across the country because issues involving the armed forces and national security fall largely under the authority of the Federal Government.
He cited Section 5 of the Nigerian Constitution, which vests executive powers of the Federation in the President, who is also the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces.
Adebayo therefore argued that his interest in the presidency was driven by his desire to address national problems that require federal authority and coordinated action.