Adebayo Accuses Tinubu of Turning ‘Option A4’ Into ‘Option A-Fraud’

Prince Adewole Adebayo, the presidential candidate for the Social Democratic Party (SDP), has leveled serious accusations against President Bola Tinubu, alleging the manipulation of Nigeria's democratic process. Adebayo described the current electoral system as "Option A-Fraud," a stark contrast to the historically transparent 'Option A4' voting system used during the Third Republic.

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Did anybody believe that President Tinubu can turn Option A4 into Option A-Fraud, where you announce 11 million votes when the people physically present are not even close to that figure?

Adebayo lamented the distortion of a once-celebrated electoral culture, warning that Nigeria is drifting towards authoritarian rule under the guise of civilian governance. He recalled the original 'Option A4' system, implemented by Humphrey Nwosu based on studies by Professor Omo Omoruyi, as a basic and transparent model where voters openly queued behind candidates and votes were counted transparently at polling units.

"Did anybody believe that President Tinubu can turn Option A4 into Option A-Fraud, where you announce 11 million votes when the people physically present are not even close to that figure?" Adebayo questioned, highlighting his belief that election figures are being inflated illogically. He characterized the alleged inflation as "elliptical arithmetic," where counts jump from low numbers to unexpectedly high ones.

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You count one, two, three, four and suddenly jump to ninety-nine.

The SDP candidate further alleged that the current administration is systematically centralizing power and weakening democratic institutions to dominate the political landscape. Adebayo claims the president seeks to control not only the ruling party but also opposition parties and key institutions like the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC). "He wants to belong to every political party, control every political party, control INEC and dictate who emerges," Adebayo stated.

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He wants to belong to every political party, control every political party, control INEC and dictate who emerges.

Adebayo urged Nigerians not to dismiss the dangers facing the country's democracy, arguing that the situation transcends ordinary political rivalry. He asserted that Nigeria is moving towards a dangerous concentration of power in a single individual, warning, "This is no longer about party differences or ideology. It is about preventing Nigeria from becoming the personal estate of one man." The SDP leader also accused the government of orchestrating internal crises within opposition parties to undermine resistance ahead of future elections, citing the recent controversy at the SDP national secretariat as an example of security agencies being used to intimidate the party.

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This is no longer about party differences or ideology. It is about preventing Nigeria from becoming the personal estate of one man.