Tension flared at the Social Democratic Party (SDP) national secretariat on Thursday following a police raid hours after former presidential aspirant Prince Adewole Adebayo completed his nomination screening. Adebayo claimed the operation was orchestrated by forces loyal to President Bola Tinubu to sabotage his bid for the party's 2027 presidential ticket. He alleged the raid was part of a broader plan to impose "one-man rule" in Nigeria, naming lawmakers James Faleke and Joash Amupitan as key figures in the alleged plot to destabilize the SDP's internal processes. "President Tinubu the autocrat has sent his goons to invade the SDP National Secretariat a day after I completed my presidential primary election screening," Adebayo said. "Tinubu wants one-man rule in Nigeria. We will defeat him. It is cowardly and not presidential for the president to be afraid of competition." Party sources confirmed that Adebayo had undergone screening at the secretariat before police operatives arrived in the early hours, causing panic among officials and supporters. No arrests or official statements were made by the Nigeria Police Force, the Presidency, or the individuals named in the allegations. Attempts to reach Force Public Relations Officer DCP Anthony Placid were unsuccessful.
Adebayo claims Tinubu deployed goons to storm SDP headquarters, yet offers no evidence linking the police action directly to the Presidency. He names Faleke and Amupitan as co-conspirators in a plot to block his candidacy, but provides no proof of their involvement. If the police raid was truly politically motivated, it raises concerns for all SDP members seeking fair access to nomination processes. The silence from police and the Presidency leaves only allegations in circulation, not facts.
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