By Dayo Johnson

NATIONAL Secretary of the Social Democratic Party, SDP, Dr Olu Agunloye, yesterday, expressed optimism that its presidential candidate, Mr Adewole Adebayo, will restore hope, lead Nigeria to unity and prosperity if elected in 2023.

Agunloye, in a statement, said that Adebayo “is one with a fervent and messianic zeal for equity, justice and sustainable economic development. He will gradually become recognisable to all Nigerians soon.”

The statement reads: “Recently, former President Olusegun Obasanjo was reported to have declared that he has “no preferred Presidential candidate” after he had ‘auditioned’ several presidential candidates and consulted widely.

“This OBJ’s no preferred candidate conclusion, speaks volumes on the situation in Nigeria and about the former president himself. First, let’s take the latter.

“The position by the former president shows that he remains the enigmatic statesman that strives to be bold and forthright without caring whose ox is gored.

“Although many expected he would use the opportunity to endorse the candidature of his younger friend, Mr Peter Obi, I was not expecting him to pick any of the Presidential candidates.

“It has, therefore, become clear that, as of the beginning of September 2022, none of the candidates has worked hard enough to earn such an endorsement from the former two-time president, who is fixated on the need to bring Nigeria out of the woods, into the league of developed nations.

“I also believe that President Obasanjo had factored in how deeply Nigeria has sunk into economic failure, the neck-breaking local and foreign debts, the degradation of social and civic values and the stranglehold of gross national insecurity, perhaps induced by the government itself.”

“Truly, OBJ hasn’t deciphered these sterling qualities yet in most of the Presidential candidates. But, indeed, there is one of them endowed with all these.

“He is Adewole Adebayo, a young 50-year-old lawyer and the presidential candidate of the Social Democratic Party, SDP.

“This candidate is one with a fervent and messianic zeal for equity, justice and sustainable economic development. He will gradually become recognisable to all Nigerians soon.

“He will bring hope again to Nigeria. Sooner than later, Adebayo will emerge and become the publicly preferred presidential candidate and he will be recognised and endorsed by statesmen, including our revered former presidents, National and State elders, youths, women, professionals, artisans, craftsmen, creative artists and pensioners, Agunloye assured”, he said.