- Prince Adewole Adebayo criticized the 2025 budget proposals, calling them contradictory and unrealistic, raising concerns about the government’s sincerity
- Adebayo emphasized the need for integrity in politics, highlighting corruption within parties and advocating for generational and ideological leadership changes
Prince Adewole Adebayo, the Social Democratic Party (SDP) presidential candidate in the 2023 elections, has criticized the 2025 budget proposals presented by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to the National Assembly.
Speaking to journalists in Abuja, Adebayo described the budget as full of contradictions and unrealistic expectations, raising concerns about the government’s sincerity.
He pointed out flaws in the exchange rates set in the budget, arguing they lack practical grounding. “The proposals are self-contradictory. For instance, they are targeting 15% inflation. Any basic economist knows double-digit inflation is unacceptable,” Adebayo said.
He emphasized that integrity among the political class is essential to resolving many issues in governance. Adebayo added that widespread corruption within political parties often overshadows concerns about the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
“The political parties commit more crimes during primaries than they accuse INEC of during elections. Delegates are bribed, and party officials manipulate names like a game of domino,” he said.
While acknowledging INEC’s lapses, Adebayo insisted the body must maintain professionalism and avoid collusion with politicians to rig elections.
On the rotational presidency, Adebayo advocated a broader perspective. While rotation among geopolitical zones may promote peace among elites, he argued for a shift in leadership dynamics for genuine progress.
“If you rotate power among the same wasteful elite without fresh ideas, you’re simply rotating poverty and insecurity,” he said.
Adebayo proposed generational and ideological rotation, urging a move from older leaders to younger ones and from international economic models to pro-Nigerian solutions.
He stressed that such shifts are necessary for meaningful growth, justice, and national development.
Discussion about this post