LAGOS APC TO ADEBAYO: WORRY ABOUT YOUR LACK OF EXPERIENCE AND POLITICAL STRUCTURE, NOT TINUBU’S CAMPAIGN PLANS

The Lagos State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has noted with amusement the attempt by the Social Democratic Party (SDP) presidential candidate, Prince Adewole Adebayo, to fault President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for reportedly excusing himself from some of the 2027 presidential campaign itinerary.

Ordinarily, one would expect opposition politicians to be preoccupied with building credible political structures, articulating workable alternatives and persuading Nigerians that they possess the competence to govern. Instead, we are confronted with another episode of manufactured controversy, in which the opposition seeks to turn a legitimate political decision into a subject of needless agitation.

President Tinubu does not need to be physically present at every campaign event to establish his credentials. His record in office, political pedigree, national reach and demonstrated capacity to provide leadership speak volumes. His approach to the 2027 campaign should be understood within the context of his responsibilities as President and his confidence in the formidable political machinery of the APC.

Indeed, President Tinubu’s position underscores his implicit confidence in his campaign team and his well-known, proven ability to delegate political assignments effectively to a retinue of capable, experienced and tested hands. This is not an improvised arrangement born of convenience; it reflects a leadership tradition built on identifying talent, empowering competent associates and deploying collective strength to achieve clearly defined objectives.

Not every political leader possesses this luxury. The APC is blessed with an extensive national network, experienced political strategists, tested party administrators, elected representatives at different levels and a formidable pool of leaders capable of delivering on assigned responsibilities. This depth of political capacity is a significant advantage that no other political party can credibly claim to possess in comparable measure.

Rather than recognise this as evidence of organisational maturity, Prince Adebayo has chosen to portray it as a weakness. That interpretation says more about the opposition’s understanding of leadership and political organisation than it does about President Tinubu.

More importantly, we believe Prince Adebayo has considerably more urgent matters to worry about than the President’s campaign itinerary.

He ought to be more concerned about his own conspicuous lack of public service experience and the inherent absence of a visible, formidable political structure capable of translating presidential ambition into electoral reality. Aspiring to occupy the highest office in the land is one thing; demonstrating the experience, institutional depth, political reach and organisational capacity required to govern a complex federation such as Nigeria is an entirely different proposition.

Presidential leadership demands more than eloquence, media appearances and the ability to criticise an incumbent. It requires a demonstrable understanding of public administration, the complexities of governance, national security, economic management, intergovernmental relations and the political negotiations essential to building consensus in a diverse country.

Nigerians are entitled to ask what Prince Adebayo has done in public service that adequately prepared him for these enormous responsibilities. They are equally entitled to ask where the formidable political structures are that would support his ambition, mobilise voters across the federation and sustain an effective government if he were elected.

These are not peripheral questions. They go to the very heart of presidential readiness. A candidate who has yet to demonstrate a substantial record of public service or build a visibly consequential political organisation should be explaining how he intends to overcome these deficits rather than attempting to prescribe campaign strategies for a President with an established political history and a nationwide party structure.

Elections are not won by the frequency of a candidate’s public appearances alone. They are won through political organisation, national reach, credible policy direction, effective mobilisation and the confidence voters place in a candidate’s capacity to deliver. By these measures, President Tinubu remains a formidable contender.

We also find it curious that Prince Adebayo appears more concerned about how President Tinubu chooses to approach his campaign than about explaining how the SDP intends to convince Nigerians that it is ready for the enormous responsibilities of national leadership.

The President’s campaign arrangements are the APC’s responsibility, not a matter for opposition micromanagement. Whether he personally attends every campaign event or entrusts aspects of the political engagement to party leaders does not diminish his standing or the party’s responsibility to mobilise Nigerians around its candidate.

An incumbent President also has responsibilities that extend beyond the campaign trail. Governance does not come to a halt because an election is approaching. The management of the economy, national security, infrastructure development, international relations and the implementation of public policies requires sustained attention. It would be an extraordinary contradiction for the opposition to demand that a President abandon the demands of governance in order to demonstrate electoral commitment through constant physical appearances.

That said, President Tinubu and the APC understand the importance of engaging Nigerians, communicating achievements, explaining difficult policy decisions and presenting the administration’s plans for the future. Campaigns are essential democratic exercises, but they are not the sole measure of leadership, and the absence of a candidate from a particular event should not be exaggerated into a political crisis.

The opposition would do well to understand that 2027 will be decided by substance, credibility, political organisation and the capacity to govern-not by the volume of criticism directed at the President or the frequency with which his name appears in political headlines.

Prince Adebayo and his party are entitled to their opinions. However, criticism becomes politically meaningful only when accompanied by a compelling alternative. Nigerians deserve to know what the SDP would do differently, how it would finance its promises, how it would address the country’s challenges and why its candidate should be trusted with the nation’s future.

The APC is prepared to defend its record, acknowledge the challenges that remain and seek a renewed mandate on the strength of its programme and vision. We are equally confident that Nigerians can distinguish between legitimate scrutiny and opposition commentary driven primarily by the need to remain politically visible.

The 2027 presidential election will not be a referendum on whether President Tinubu attends every campaign rally. It will be a contest over leadership, experience, direction, organisational strength and the future of Nigeria.

Our advice to Prince Adewole Adebayo is simple: spend less time worrying about President Tinubu’s campaign itinerary and more time addressing your own deficits in public service experience, political structure and national electoral reach. Before questioning the strategy of a party with an established nationwide presence and a deep reservoir of experienced political leaders, demonstrate that your own political platform possesses the capacity to compete meaningfully.

The APC will campaign when, where and how it considers appropriate. President Tinubu has capable hands to whom he can confidently delegate responsibilities, and a party machinery equipped to mobilise across the country. That is a strategic advantage earned through years of political organisation and leadership, not a weakness to be apologised for.

When Nigerians are called upon to make their choice, the President’s record, the APC’s structures and the competing visions for Nigeria will speak far louder than manufactured outrage over campaign schedules.

2027 is about Nigeria’s future, not the opposition’s fixation with President Tinubu.

Hon. Seye Oladejo
Lagos APC Spokesman.
15/10/26