Prince Adewole Adebayo, the Social Democratic Party (SDP) presidential candidate in the 2023 elections, has launched one of the fiercest attacks yet on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration, declaring that Nigeria is now poorer, more insecure and more hopeless than ever. In a no-holds-barred interview, Adebayo accused the government of deliberately sustaining insecurity for profit, insisting that the “headquarters of Boko Haram shares the same address as the president.”
He said Nigerians are living under fear, hunger and economic strangulation while the government “pretends to be working.” According to him, citizens can no longer travel safely, afford food, or rely on electricity, water or even basic communication services, as everything is collapsing. He argued that no part of the Nigerian economy is functioning normally.
Adebayo claimed that the insecurity ravaging the country is not an accident but a well-coordinated enterprise involving those in government and the terror groups. He described the so-called negotiations with terrorists as nothing but a “sharing formula” designed to siphon public funds since no receipts are ever issued for such deals. He alleged that terrorists openly communicate with senior security officers, including governors and police commissioners, proving that criminality has become institutionalized.
In the most explosive part of the interview, he declared that “the real terrorist is in the Villa” and that Boko Haram’s operational headquarters “shares the same address as Tinubu.” He alleged that the Presidency and terror groups “live together, work together, plan together and share together,” maintaining that billions vanish under the guise of security spending.
The SDP presidential candidate said Nigeria has more than enough military strength to eliminate Boko Haram, bandits and other violent groups within weeks if the political leadership truly wants it. He said corruption, not lack of capacity, is the reason insecurity persists.
He vowed that if he were president, he would appoint security chiefs on the condition that terrorists must be wiped out within 30 days or they lose their jobs. He insisted that no new weapons or recruitment are needed—only leadership, accountability and the political will to end insecurity. He said any security chief who fails to deliver results “must resign immediately.”
On the economy, Adebayo said hardship is worsening because of massive government stealing, irresponsible budgeting and a complete lack of value for money. He said Nigeria’s ministries have become corruption hubs where inflated contracts, fake procurement and reckless borrowing dominate the system. He accused the government of failing to perform even the simplest responsibilities such as filling potholes in front of federal buildings.
He maintained that citizens have resorted to self-help in every part of life because the government has collapsed. According to him, Nigerians now rely on neighbourhood vigilantes for security, boreholes for water, private schools for education and private hospitals for healthcare. He described the situation as evidence that “there is no government—only people holding office.”
Adebayo said hunger has replaced the opposition as the biggest enemy of the current administration. He explained that workers in the Presidential Villa now beg for transport money, while salaries cannot buy food and inflation has crushed the ordinary Nigerian.
The politician unveiled an economic plan centered on stopping government stealing, enforcing the constitution—especially Chapter 2 on citizens’ welfare—and rebuilding capacity across ministries. He proposed real budgeting, value-driven expenditure and a system where every ₦1 million spent creates 100 jobs. He said the country must invest massively in security, food, housing, education, healthcare and infrastructure while eliminating waste and corruption.
Adebayo concluded that Nigeria is not suffering because of a lack of resources or manpower but because the political leadership profits from chaos. He insisted that the day a president decides that insecurity must end, terrorism will disappear from Nigeria.
