2027: Pro-Democracy Coalition Endorses SDP’s Adebayo Over Detailed Manifesto

A coalition of pro-democracy organisations under the CountryFirst Movement has endorsed the presidential candidate of the Social Democratic Party (SDP), Prince Adewole Adebayo, for the 2027 general election, describing him as the only candidate to have presented a comprehensive manifesto with clear implementation strategies.

The coalition announced its position on Thursday during a press briefing, saying its endorsement followed an extensive assessment of the manifestos, policy proposals and implementation timelines submitted by presidential candidates.

The convener of the CountryFirst Movement, Chris Mustapha Nwaokobia, said the coalition had evaluated the preparedness of candidates and their capacity to deliver effective governance if elected.

According to him, the assessment was designed to encourage issue-based campaigns and move Nigerian politics away from promises that lack practical implementation plans.

Nwaokobia disclosed that the coalition had, since August 26, 2026, challenged presidential candidates to publish comprehensive manifestos explaining their proposed policies and how they intended to implement them.

He said that out of the 18 presidential candidates listed by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), only one submitted a full manifesto, while 10 others provided briefs containing graphics and summaries without sufficient details or implementation timelines.

The coalition said Adebayo’s manifesto stood out because it provided a detailed roadmap for addressing Nigeria’s major economic, security and social challenges.

It described the SDP candidate’s document, titled “Farewell to Poverty and Insecurity,” as a practical framework for moving the country from poverty to prosperity, insecurity to safety, and hardship to an improved standard of living.

The coalition noted that the manifesto comprises 117 printed pages and 138 pages in its electronic version, with 12 priority areas covering national security, food security, electricity, affordable energy, job creation, enterprise development, education, healthcare, infrastructure, innovation, transparency and accountability, and national unity.

It added that the document contains a four-year implementation framework intended to provide measurable targets and enable Nigerians to assess the performance of a potential Adebayo administration.

Under the proposed plan, the first 100 days would focus on establishing a Presidential Delivery and Performance Office, issuing directives to ministries, departments and agencies, conducting baseline assessments of critical sectors, identifying priority projects and introducing measures to improve transparency in public procurement.

The coalition also said the manifesto drew significantly from Chapter II of the Nigerian Constitution, which outlines the Fundamental Objectives and Directive Principles of State Policy.

It argued that Nigeria’s recurring governance challenges could be addressed through a political system built around ideological consistency, clear policy direction and measurable commitments to national development.

The group further referenced the SDP’s historical association with the late Chief Moshood Kashimawo Olawale Abiola, whose 1993 presidential campaign adopted the message, “Farewell to Poverty.”

According to the coalition, Adebayo’s campaign slogan reflects the party’s historical foundation while extending its focus to insecurity and other pressing national challenges.

“We present to Nigerians the candidate with a clear blueprint and a workable programme for a new Nigeria,” the coalition declared.

It urged political parties to make detailed manifestos available before inaugurating their presidential campaign councils, insisting that campaign structures should be built around clearly defined policies rather than political mobilisation alone.

The coalition warned that failure to change the country’s political culture could perpetuate a cycle of unprepared leadership and disappointing governance outcomes.

The endorsement was jointly signed by Nwaokobia; Dabiraoluwa H. Adeyinka, Coordinator of the Power in the Streets Movement; Alhaji Musa Isah of the Forum of North West Progressives; Obinna Okeke, Organising Secretary of the CountryFirst Movement; Fred Uke of the United Middlebelt Forum; Bernice Adeyemi of the South South Peoples Forum; and Ayegba Iyaji of the National Rescue Movement in the North Central.

The coalition expressed hope that Adebayo’s proposed policies would provide a foundation for improved security, economic prosperity, accountability and inclusive national development if he wins the 2027 presidential election.