Adewole Adebayo, the 2023 presidential candidate of the Social Democratic Party (SDP), has called on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to either take decisive action against Nigeria’s security challenges or resign from office.

Adebayo challenges Tinubu over rising insecurity

Speaking at the 2025 National Electoral Reform Summit on Tuesday, Adebayo said the government must “use bullets to kill the terrorists or use the pen to resign,” urging urgent intervention amid rising insecurity across the country.

“Democracy must be clean, fair, and predictable. Leaders must govern according to the wishes of the people, or they will lose the next election,” he said.

US President Trump’s remarks on attacks in Nigeria referenced

He also referenced recent remarks by US President Donald Trump regarding attacks on Christians in Nigeria, warning citizens against inflaming religious tensions.

“I thank Mr. Trump for showing interest in Nigeria at all. But we must not turn his interest into a Christian-Muslim debate. Anyone who wants to help must help every Nigerian. Trump cannot resolve our problems in the short term; local leadership is key,” he added.

Adebayo emphasised that the nation cannot continue debating security failures while lives are lost daily.

“The Nigerian armed forces, the way I know them, can protect the whole of West Africa if you let them do it. But they cannot protect their own barracks if you say they should not do it,” Adebayo said.

Calls for leadership accountability amid security failures

The SDP candidate’s comments come as Nigeria continues to face banditry, herder-farmer conflicts, and insurgent attacks.

While the presidency rejected Trump’s claims of targeted killings of Christians, it confirmed it would welcome foreign support in combating jihadist insurgencies, including Boko Haram.

Adebayo urged that if the government cannot protect its citizens effectively, the leadership should step aside to allow competent intervention.