*** Poor leadership has hurt the nation, Adebayo

By Henry Umoru, ABUJA

AHEAD of Saturday’s Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Area Council elections, the National Chairman of the Social Democratic Party (SDP), Professor Abubakar Gombe, has assured residents in the six Area Councils, especially the Abuja Municipal Area Council (AMAC), that the party is fielding individuals with the competence, character, and capacity to lead effectively.

Speaking on Thursday at the grand finale of his campaign rally in Abuja, Professor Gombe, who noted that leadership is about the present and the well-being of the people, said that a true leader must create a social environment where citizens feel secure, experience peace, and benefit directly from governance.

According to the National Chairman, even before seeking public office, the SDP candidate had demonstrated commitment to community development by using personal resources through a foundation to support indigent residents of AMAC.

Gombe, who noted that with the full resources of the Area Council, such efforts would be expanded significantly for the benefit of all, said, “We assure the people of AMAC that they will not regret voting for the SDP. Our party is rooted in welfare and people-centred governance. The promised progress is within reach.”

He also called on residents to exercise their democratic rights by coming out en masse to vote, remain peaceful, and ensure that their votes are protected until results are fully announced at the Area Council level, just as he expressed optimism that, based on the response from the people and the party’s welfare-driven agenda, victory is achievable.

He commended supporters and reaffirmed the party’s commitment to translating public trust into meaningful development for AMAC.

In his remarks, the 2023 presidential candidate of the party, Prince Adewole Adebayo, who called on Nigerians to take back control of governance and demand accountability from leaders, said that poor leadership has hurt the nation.

He said, “The biggest mistake in Nigeria today is Bola Ahmed Tinubu. Years of mismanagement have allowed our resources to be misused, but they cannot take away our intelligence or our voice.”

Adebayo, who criticised the impact of bad governance on public services – schools closed, workers dismissed, hospitals neglected, and foreign contractors taking resources without benefiting communities – stressed the importance of democratic rights.

“Government exists for the people. We must ensure our votes are protected and demand transparency, including electronic transmission of election results.”

He also warned about fiscal irresponsibility. Projects are poorly executed, and borrowing today becomes debt for our children tomorrow.

“One bridge today can cost more than decades of investment in Abuja. Our constitution reminds us that government must serve the people. The area council is closest to the people. It is time to reclaim our councils, our resources, and our city.”

On his part, the chairmanship candidate of the party for the forthcoming FCT Area Council election, Dr Obinna Simon, declared that residents of Abuja Municipal Area Council (AMAC) are ready for a new era of inclusive governance, institutional accountability, and people-focused development.

According to Simon, AMAC belongs to all residents, indigenes and non-indigenes alike, stressing that the council must be administered as a shared civic space that guarantees fairness, equity, and equal opportunity.

He said, “AMAC is not the private estate of any individual or group. It is a public trust. Leadership must reflect the diversity of our people and respond to the needs of every community without discrimination.”

Dr Simon emphasised that democracy must translate into measurable outcomes for citizens, noting that the dividends of governance should be evident in functional public schools, accessible healthcare services, youth empowerment programmes, and social protection systems that protect vulnerable residents.

He lamented situations where children are forced out of school for prolonged periods and where residents depend heavily on costly private healthcare due to weak public health infrastructure.

He pledged that an SDP-led administration in AMAC would prioritise education reform, primary healthcare revitalisation, transparent budgeting, and performance-based service delivery.

“Our people deserve a council that works. Government hospitals must be properly equipped and staffed; schools must remain open and conducive for learning,” he said.

“Empowerment must go beyond rhetoric to structured economic opportunities for women and youth.”

The SDP candidate who called on voters to use the ballot as an instrument of democratic accountability in the forthcoming election insisted that leadership must be earned through service, not entitlement, just as he reaffirmed his commitment to building an AMAC that works for all residents, anchored on social justice, transparency, and sustainable development.

ENDS