ABUJA: Presidential candidate of the Social Democratic Party, SDP, Prince Adewole Adebayo, has urged young professionals to take an active interest in politics and contribute to efforts to address Nigeria’s development challenges
Adebayo, who spoke on Wednesday in Abuja while interacting with members of the SDP Young Professionals and the Confederation of West African Youths at the party’s national secretariat, said young Nigerians must take ownership of the country’s political future
He urged the youths to anchor their political engagement on the ideals contained in Chapter Two of the Constitution, which outlines the fundamental objectives and directive principles of state policy
According to him, Nigeria needs unity of purpose rather than individual brilliance to make meaningful progress
Adebayo said the country’s challenges were man-made and could therefore be addressed, urging young professionals to reject political apathy and participate actively in the political process
He argued that political authority ultimately derived from the will of the people, stressing that disengagement from politics was not compatible with efforts to influence national development
The SDP candidate said Nigeria had no natural barriers or hostile neighbours preventing it from achieving development, arguing that the country’s challenges were largely linked to leadership failures and the absence of structured pathways for producing capable leaders
“This country has no natural barrier, no natural limitation, no natural enemies, and we are surrounded by good neighbours who love us,” he said
Adebayo also lamented what he described as the absence of a deliberate system for training political leaders, comparing it with professional fields such as law, where practitioners undergo structured training before entering the profession
He described political parties as the “university” through which political leadership should be cultivated
The presidential candidate disclosed that he joined the SDP in 1991 at the age of 19 while studying law at the University of Ife, now Obafemi Awolowo University
He said his initial scepticism about political parties formed by the military changed after studying the SDP’s foundational documents, including the report of the 1977 Constitutional Assembly that contributed to the development of the fundamental objectives contained in Chapter Two of the Constitution
“Without unity of purpose, without coming together, you cannot achieve,” Adebayo said
He also warned against political arrangements that exclude or disadvantage any section of the country on the basis of religion, ethnicity, gender or region
Adebayo disclosed plans by the SDP to hold town hall meetings across the 36 states and local government areas as part of efforts to broaden the party’s reach
He urged the young professionals to translate their political engagement into grassroots activities, noting that political influence was determined at the polling-unit level
“Politics is not a game of the mouth It’s a game of the heart,” he said.
In his remarks, SDP National Chairman, Professor Sadiq Gombe, also urged young professionals to take active interest in politics and contribute to efforts aimed at addressing the country’s development challenges
Gombe said the group’s visit demonstrated that young Nigerians still had hope in the country’s future
He said the involvement of young professionals was particularly important amid concerns over poverty, insecurity, unemployment and other socio-economic challenges
The national chairman urged the group to deepen political participation and support initiatives aimed at promoting what he described as competent and purposeful leadership
He said the country’s future depended largely on the younger generation
Gombe said the party’s presidential candidate, Adebayo, and vice-presidential candidate, Professor Usman Bugaje, were committed to providing what he described as an alternative approach to governance
He urged the professionals to engage their peers and encourage wider participation in the electoral process, while promoting national unity
Gombe also advised the group against allowing ethnic, religious or regional considerations to determine political participation