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Chuks Okocha in Abuja

Presidential candidate of the Social Democratic Party (SDP), Adewole Adebayo, has warned the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) against technical failures during the 2027 general election, urging Nigerians to resist electoral malpractice and vote trading.

Adebayo made the call in his Independence Anniversary message to Nigerians yesterday, contained in a statement by the Head of the Directorate of Media and Communications, Adewole Adebayo-Bugaje Presidential Campaign, Comrade Mark Adebayo.

The SDP candidate also pledged that his administration would tackle poverty and insecurity within four years if elected.

Adebayo alleged that electoral corruption was undermining Nigeria’s democracy and criticised the governing All Progressives Congress (APC) over its handling of the country.

“History has shown us that when you steal the vote, you steal the destiny of the nation. Election rigging is not a victimless political game. It is a violent assault on the sovereignty of the citizens.

“It installs illegitimate leaders who feel no accountability to the public. This lack of accountability explains why our hospitals remain broken, our schools are crumbling, and our economy is in shambles. Bad governance is the direct, poisonous fruit of rigged elections.”

Adebayo also accused the APC-led administration of adopting what he described as an anti-democratic approach to governance.

He alleged that poverty was being used to influence voters and criticised what he described as economic policies implemented without sufficient consideration for citizens.

“The way the APC is ruling this country is, for the most part, completely anti-democratic,” he said.