Opposition consensus candidate is late– SDP spokesman, Ayenigba - Punch Newspapers

The National Publicity Secretary of the Social Democratic Party, Rufus Ayenigba, speaks with DARE AKOGUN on how the party plans to achieve N200 per litre of fuel, reduce poverty and insecurity Why should Nigerians vote for the SDP in the 2027 elections? They should vote for the SDP because it is a political party with a manifesto and ideology that have a human face. The manifesto prioritises the well-being of Nigerians, and the party will govern according to the principles contained in Chapter 2 of the Constitution. It is a party that will seek to reduce the cost of transportation and access to medical facilities, while making education qualitative and accessible. It is also a party that will unite Nigerians beyond ethnicity, religion and creed. The SDP believes it can make life truly meaningful for Nigerians and enhance human dignity in the country. What the SDP has to offer is basically premised on three plans. Firstly, we want to return Nigeria to constitutional democracy, where the Constitution is pre-eminent and takes its rightful place. The Constitution must be the foundation of our political engagement. Our government will be anchored on Chapter 2 of the Constitution, which identifies the security and welfare of citizens as the primary purpose of government. The first pillar is securing Nigerians and the nation, including addressing human insecurity and food insecurity. The second is enhanced productivity. We want to get Nigerians to work, create jobs, enhance human dignity and improve the economic well-being of citizens. We want shared prosperity through increased economic activity, gainful employment and an economy in which both macro and microeconomic activities work effectively. But despite your party’s manifestoes and ideology, many Nigerians believe your presidential candidate, Adewole Adebayo, has nothing to offer. (Cuts in) I want to know where that narrative is coming from. Let us look at what was said, who said it, and the context. I can tell you authoritatively that Adebayo is one of the best presidential candidates in the race. He was also highly rated during the 2023 election. Given his depth, broad perspective, consistent engagement with issues of national interest, and ability to offer credible alternative perspectives, he has demonstrated a workable, achievable governance model. Just a few weeks ago, a former frontline member of the opposition and former Secretary to the Government of the Federation rated Adebayo as the best material and a man capable of doing the job, based on his assessment of his capacity and demonstrable ability. So, it is incorrect to say that Adebayo has nothing to offer Nigeria. Look at his record. He is a 54 or 55-year-old man who, within three decades of adulthood, has done well for himself and contributed to national development through employment generation, youth empowerment and community development.See more Punch stories on Google.Add Punch on Google We are talking about capacity, competence, commitment and dedication to the Nigerian project. I don’t see anyone better than him in the race today in terms of capacity, intelligence, patriotism and commitment. Is the SDP still interested in an opposition coalition ahead of 2027? I think it is already late to expect the opposition political parties to come together behind a single candidate. I do not see that happening, except if those who have become grandfathers and great-grandfathers in the race decide to make a sacrifice for Nigeria and allow young, vibrant people with energy, bold ideas and capacity, such as Adewole Adebayo, the SDP presidential candidate, to lead. If that happens, we can begin to talk about a serious coalition prospect. However, the G100, in which the SDP is playing a prominent role, is working to build a collaborative spirit among opposition parties. The objective is to establish an operational framework that will ensure a credible election and create an electoral space free from manipulation. There were crises in your party, including the controversy that trailed the emergence of your presidential candidate. How united is the SDP now? The SDP is an effectively run and vibrant national political party. Every political party has different interests and tendencies, but that does not mean the party is incapable of managing them. Whatever issues arose from the internal cleansing we went through have been put behind us. We have successfully sanitised and reformed the party. The SDP is now in the hands of democrats and the Nigerian people. There are no godfathers determining what happens. Members of the party, through the national convention, the National Executive Committee and the National Working Committee, determine the direction of the party, its administration and policies. It is not a party where one man sits in an office and determines who becomes a senator or governor. It is not a party where one person appoints or removes a national chairman at will. 2027: Ogun gov candidate pledges reform 2027: We’ll combine governance with politics, says Shettima Democracy in the dock and the knives are out Whatever leadership issues people are referring to from the past year have become history. The party has been renewed and reformed and is ready for the 2027 contest. How will you address Nigerians who have lost confidence in the country’s electoral system and may not vote in 2027? Unfortunately, our political system has become synonymous with politicians coming to dance on podiums and getting vulnerable women and unemployed youths to dance away their sorrow. Nothing meaningful is achieved through that kind of engagement. Nigerians must understand that 2027 should represent a clear departure from the old order, where politicians simply make slogans and tell people, “It is our turn,” or “four plus four.” The critical question should be: What are the issues and what are the solutions? Adebayo has challenged fellow presidential contestants to debate the issues, sit at a round table, face Nigerians, and allow citizens to ask critical questions that will help them make informed decisions. Nigerians should examine what each candidate is offering, the promises being made, and how realistic those promises are. What are the SDP’s plans to reduce poverty and insecurity? Poverty is one of the factors responsible for insecurity because it is fundamentally about lack of opportunities. We will work according to the dictates of the Constitution, social justice and equality of opportunity for Nigerians. We will expand job creation and economic empowerment through deliberate investment in agriculture and energy. Look at the vast lands in the North that are lying fallow. We are not harvesting the benefits of these natural resources. How many solar farms do we have in northern Nigeria? We need to unleash the potential of the country. At the same time, we must strengthen the military and other security agencies beyond merely increasing salaries. They need up-to-date equipment and improved morale. Go to the barracks of the military and police across Nigeria; they are not good stories to tell. We must improve the welfare of security personnel, expand health insurance, and ensure their families can live decent lives. We will also prioritise intelligence-driven security and equip the security architecture across the country with technology that will improve intelligence gathering. Community policing will be enhanced so that no community becomes a haven for criminal elements. If we cover our communities, forests and districts with digital surveillance equipment, we can identify threats early and make it difficult for criminals to operate freely. How realistic is your candidate’s statement that a litre of petrol can sell for N200? It is doable; the only way an SDP government will rejig the petroleum industry is by getting our refineries working, establishing as many modular refineries as possible across the states, removing bottlenecks, and increasing production. We will also tackle corruption within the petroleum value chain. The moment we demonstrate commitment and transparency in the sector, things will change. If you take corruption out of the system and focus subsidies at the point of importation, you are simply feeding a few people. But where subsidy is necessary, it should be considered at the point of delivery to Nigerians. When you increase crude production, reduce bureaucracy and red tape around the ports, improve the distribution chain, and get reasonable value, it will impact positively on Nigerians. If subsidy has been removed, where is the money going? What can we point to now, at a time when Nigeria’s economy is under pressure, poverty is increasing, insecurity is increasing and social vices are rising? We should be able to measure the impact of the funds saved from subsidy removal in terms of businesses and jobs created, houses constructed, hospitals built and equipped, improved medical facilities, and better-funded schools. An SDP government will prioritise these areas and make life more meaningful for Nigerians. We are forced to buy at international market prices because, over the years, we neglected the investments needed to scale up the petroleum industry. How many refineries are working? How many refineries have we established across the country? The regime of importation has essentially become a gateway to corruption and the enrichment of a few, to the detriment of Nigerians. What we need is a corruption-free petroleum sector. We also need to streamline bureaucracy in a manner that attracts the right investment. If we have three, four, five or six private refineries operating on the scale of Dangote and processing crude within Nigeria, petroleum products will be readily available. You cannot quantify the jobs and other benefits that will accrue from such investments in terms of employment generation, improved socio-economic conditions and reduced crime, especially among unemployed youths. Dare Akogun

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