The presidential candidate of the Social Democratic Party (SDP), Adewole Adebayo, has claimed that the 2023 general election was not a contest between political candidates but between opposition parties and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

Speaking during an appearance on Politics Today on Channels Television, Adebayo alleged that the election was marred by manipulation, insisting that the declared results lacked credibility.

According to him, the figures announced by the electoral commission did not reflect the will of the people.

"In 2023, I contested against INEC. INEC were the opponents. What happened in 2023 was not good at all. All those numbers are fake. The whole thing was a charade. Anyone who is making analysis based on the 2023 election is legitimising fraud," he said.

Adebayo argued that no government should derive legitimacy from what he described as manipulated election results.

"Nobody should use the number and go to the Villa and govern anybody because you can’t govern out of fraud or out of manipulation. So, we cannot normalise the number," he added.

Looking ahead to the 2027 general election, the SDP flagbearer expressed hope that electoral institutions would conduct a transparent process, allowing candidates to compete fairly.

He urged the leadership of INEC and the Nigeria Police Force to ensure that no contestant perceives the electoral commission or security agencies as opponents during the polls.

"There is no candidate who should be unfortunate enough to be running against INEC like we were running against INEC in 2023. To run for election is like writing an examination; your score should reflect your effort," Adebayo stated.

He also called for national unity in strengthening Nigeria's democracy, stressing that electoral reforms should be a collective responsibility rather than an opposition agenda alone.

According to him, many Nigerians, including some members of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), recognise the need for a more transparent and accountable democratic system.

2023 Election Was Opposition vs INEC, Not Candidates – Adebayo

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