The presidential candidate of the Social Democratic Party (SDP), Adewole Adebayo, has criticised President Bola Tinubu for failing to attend the signing of the National Peace Accord ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Adebayo said Tinubu’s absence from Tuesday’s ceremony in Abuja cast doubt on his commitment to a peaceful electoral process and sent the wrong signal to political actors, security agencies and government officials.
Speaking on Channels Television’s Politics Today, the SDP candidate urged the President to explain his absence and publicly reaffirm his commitment to the peace process.
“President Tinubu not showing up today, he is showing that he is not committed to peace. He is sending a wrong signal to law enforcement, for the people who work for the government, that the President looks like he is not committed enough,” he said.
Adebayo argued that the importance of democracy and national stability should compel the President to personally participate in initiatives designed to guarantee peaceful elections.
“There is no issue of state grandeur than the President showing that democracy is important. There is no more national security than the continuity of the state. The state has to exist and a free, fair and credible election is important for establishing civil government,” he added.
He recalled that former President Muhammadu Buhari attended the signing of the peace accord four years ago, despite not being a candidate in the election.
“President Buhari, who was not even contesting, was around. It is good for you as a leader that you believe in a peace process,” Adebayo said.
The SDP candidate also faulted the decision to have the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), George Akume, represent Tinubu at the event, arguing that Vice-President Kashim Shettima could have attended on the President’s behalf.
“Oh please, this is an insult to the process. The SGF is not involved in the election. You have your Vice President who could come,” Adebayo said.
He described Tinubu as “missing in action” and urged the President to demonstrate stronger commitment to the electoral peace process.
The National Peace Accord, organised by the National Peace Committee, was signed in Abuja by presidential candidates and representatives of political parties ahead of the 2027 elections.
The agreement commits political actors to peaceful conduct and issue-based campaigns before, during and after the elections.
Peter Obi, Omoyele Sowore, Donald Duke and other presidential candidates attended the ceremony, alongside INEC Chairman Joash Amupitan and other stakeholders.
Amupitan reaffirmed the electoral commission’s neutrality and urged political parties to focus on policies rather than personal attacks, describing the election as a “marketplace of ideas, not a theatre of war.”
He also disclosed that preparations were underway for the deployment of about 1.4 million ad hoc personnel across more than 176,000 polling units for the 2027 elections.
