The presidential candidate of the Social Democratic Party (SDP), Adewole Adebayo, has faulted the policies of President Bola Tinubu, saying the lives of Nigerians are not better off since the former Lagos State governor assumed power in 2023.
Adebayo made the remarks during an interview, where he accused the government of failing to tackle key challenges, including economic hardship and insecurity.
According to him, the impact of government policies has not translated into improved living standards for ordinary Nigerians.
“The fact of the matter is that no one’s life is better off except those who are in government,” Adebayo said.
“[Even] you asking the question knows that your life is no better off in terms of all the economic indicators. I know that my life is not better off, and those of my neighbours are not better off.”
He argued that the country’s economic situation has continued to deteriorate, affecting citizens across all social classes, adding that governance discussions should prioritise citizens’ welfare over partisan interests.
Adebayo’s latest criticism comes after similar comments in 2025, when he accused the Tinubu administration of implementing policies that place heavy financial burdens on Nigerians.
During a previous appearance on the same programme, he described the President as overly focused on revenue generation through taxation.
“President Tinubu is a clever tax collector. He wants to collect taxes from you for everything, including the oxygen tax, very soon,” he said.
“If you’re not careful, yes, the air we breathe. Just give him time; he’s going to get there.”
He also criticised import duty policies under the administration, describing them as anti-people and inconsistent with Tinubu’s earlier pro-democracy stance.
“It is an anti-people decision and a trend in the new Tinubu. Tinubu that used to be in SDP, following Abiola everywhere doing Hope 93, has practically changed to the side of the money people,” he said.
“They see you as a customer, not a citizen. If you have twins and triplets in your house, Tinubu is going to think of twins tax or ‘multiple childbirth tax.’ He’s just thinking of how to collect more money. It’s wrong.”
