Adewole Adebayo, the 2023 presidential candidate of the Social Democratic Party (SDP), has expressed disappointment at some of the members of his party who allegedly worked against him during the presidential election.
In a recent interview with Vanguard, Adebayo accused a senator who was a key supporter of his campaign of defecting to the All Progressives Congress (APC) and even giving up his senatorial ambition for them. He also claimed that other members of his party defected to the APC just days before the election and worked against him.
The SDP candidate expressed his disappointment at the actions of these members, saying that they betrayed him and the party. He stated that he has learned a valuable lesson from the experience and that it is a lesson that academics cannot teach.
“I have learned that people can pretend. If somebody was working for me, within a short time, I get the bad news that the person had defected to APC. I am just letting you know that people can pretend,” Adebayo said.
Despite the alleged betrayal, Adebayo stated that he will not challenge the election of Bola Tinubu, who won the presidential election. He explained that Tinubu won because he had the most experienced politicians in the polity supporting him.
“Somehow, he managed to keep most of the governors with him, even those who were hostile to him at the beginning. I encountered a lot of people in the course of the campaign who said ‘We like you but we are stuck with our man’. But, you as a presidential candidate, even the sub-total of your efforts is not up to what the people are doing on his behalf even if he is somewhere in France hanging his leg. They were still very active,” Adebayo added.
Adebayo’s allegations of betrayal within his party highlight the importance of loyalty in politics. It also serves as a reminder that politicians must be wary of those around them and not take their support for granted.
As the 2023 elections approach, it is important for political parties to emphasize the need for unity and loyalty among their members to ensure a successful campaign.
