Leader of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) and its presidential candidate in the 2023 general election, Prince Adewole Adebayo, has criticised President Bola Tinubu’s handling of national security, saying a recent tweet from former US President Donald Trump appeared to have prompted renewed federal attention to the country’s security challenges.
Adebayo said many Nigerians were living under severe economic pressure and rising insecurity.
“First, the whole country has been heated up by economic policies that are making people desperate. In terms of security, the government has not been paying sufficient attention to Nigerians who have been paying ransom everywhere, from ‘one chance’ kidnappers and others.
“If you conduct a public hearing of ‘one chance’ victims, there will be over a million. The only reason there is sensitivity to it now is because Trump sent a tweet,” he said.
He urged President Tinubu and his team to prioritise governance consistently and not only react when pressure mounts internationally.
“They should not be serious only when Trump is tweeting. They should be serious all the time. If they keep this momentum and stop using security as an excuse for mismanaging resources, and actually get the job done, nobody can keep our children in captivity,” he said.
Adebayo praised the intelligence of Nigerian security personnel but expressed concern that they were not being effectively directed.
“Nigerians are among the smartest people on earth, and such smart people abound in our security agencies,” he said, adding that strong leadership was needed to maximise their capabilities.
On the presidential order to security agencies to cordon off forests in states affected by heightened insecurity, he said the directive came late and should not have been publicly announced, as criminal groups could easily adapt their tactics.
He also criticised what he described as inconsistencies in the government’s approach to high-profile security operations, citing the arrest of Nnamdi Kanu abroad while kidnappers continue to operate across forests within Nigeria.
“This is a government that could capture somebody in Nairobi, Kenya, and bring him to trial, but has struggled to stop groups terrorising communities here,” he said.
Referencing the 1980s case of Lawrence Anini, he argued that firm directives from leadership can spur quick results.
“What I’m saying is that the president needs to call the armed forces to deal with terrorists. For kidnappers and opportunistic criminals, he needs to call the IGP and demand accountability,” he said.
Adebayo further expressed concern about the quality of some federal appointments, saying they may be undermining the administration’s efforts.
On claims that opposition parties are sabotaging the government because of 2027 politics, he questioned the basis of such accusations and highlighted gaps in Nigeria’s diplomatic representations in key countries.
“Who sabotaged you to the point where you have no ambassador to major countries like the United States, the United Kingdom, France or China? Why would you not have diplomatic representation in countries that are Security Council members?” he asked.
According to him, ambassadorial appointments should not be treated solely as political placements, especially in countries critical to Nigeria’s foreign policy.
VANGUARD.
