Former presidential candidate of the Social Democratic Party (SDP), Prince Adewole Adebayo, has said that all hands must be on deck to kick against episodic governance in Nigeria.
Adebayo said there is no reverse gear in the vehicle of nationhood.
He made the statement on Tuesday during a visit to the Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF) headquarters in Abuja, where he was received by the forum’s board of trustees chairman, Bashir Dalhatu.
Speaking during the visit, Adebayo said the forum and its sister organizations, such as the Northern Elders Forum remained vital to Nigeria’s stability and must play a stronger role in national integration, especially as political institutions continue to falter.
“Northern Nigeria is the crown jewel of the Nigerian state. The journey to nationhood started in 1914, and there’s no excuse for pretending that there’s a U-turn anywhere. Nigeria is like a train; it has no reverse gear,” Adebayo said.
He lamented what he described as “episodic governance” in the country, where development plans are abandoned by successive governments, and said Nigeria’s leadership must return to national planning models that focus on unity, accountability, and service delivery.
“Even something as fundamental as Nigeria’s sovereignty is now up for debate. We don’t have a common basis for unity. The killings going on in the North are tragic, yet they fail to unite us in condemnation,” he added.
The SDP chieftain emphasized that national unity must transcend religion, ethnicity, and region, insisting that reforms should aim to make Nigeria work for all citizens regardless of background.
“Reforms are possible, but no reform can render me a non-Nigerian. We must understand that there is only one Nigeria, and the North is a critical component,” Adebayo said.
He also stressed the importance of preparing a new generation of patriotic Nigerians to take up leadership roles, promising that his party’s politics “will leave no one behind” and will prioritise accountability and service delivery.
In his response, ACF Chairman Bashir Dalhatu commended Adebayo’s patriotism and passion for national unity, describing him as one of the few politicians who think beyond regional lines.
“Nigeria needs people who think in a united manner. The ACF was established to protect the interests of the North within the context of a united Nigeria. We are first and foremost Nigerians before being Northerners,” Dalhatu said.
