A chieftain of the Social Democratic Party, Adewole Adebayo, has launched a fresh attack on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu over the state of the economy and the hardship facing Nigerians.
Adebayo said Tinubu would have ended up as “a beggar” if he had been part of government leadership decades ago, arguing that previous administrations created opportunities that helped many Nigerian leaders rise to prominence.
The former SDP presidential candidate made the remarks during an interview on Trust TV on Wednesday while reacting to the economic situation in the country since Tinubu assumed office on May 29, 2023.
According to him, several prominent political figures in Nigeria benefitted from government structures and policies established by past leaders.
He argued that many of those currently occupying powerful positions would not have attained such status without state support and opportunities created years ago.
“Many of the people you see at the National Assembly today, if it’s not because of the government of their time, they would have been at the farm or following cattle,” Adebayo said.
“I am telling you today, if Tinubu was in government 50 years ago, he himself will be a beggar right now.”
The SDP chieftain also referenced former Nigerian leaders while making his point. He said late Northern Premier, Ahmadu Bello, played a major role in opening opportunities for northern elites.
He added that former President Muhammadu Buhari might not have joined the military without those opportunities, while former military ruler Ibrahim Babangida could have remained an ordinary school teacher.
Adebayo maintained that government must work in a way that uplifts ordinary citizens rather than leaving them behind. He accused the current administration of failing to properly harness Nigeria’s enormous human and natural resources for national development.
“So, what I’m saying is that you cannot run a government that leads majority of your people away,” he stated.
He further compared Nigeria to a country sitting on untapped wealth while citizens continue to struggle with poverty, unemployment and rising living costs.