According to a report by Daily Post on Tuesday, May 26, 2026, A chieftain and presidential candidate of the Social Democratic Party, SDP, Adewole Adebayo, has lamented the current living standard in Nigeria, stressing that the situation is training citizens to become thieves.
Adebayo made the remarks on Tuesday during a live interview on the Morning Show, a programme on Arise News Television, where he criticised the state of the economy and its impact on ordinary Nigerians.
He argued that the rising cost of living, declining purchasing power, and persistent inflation are creating conditions that undermine social stability and moral standards across communities.
According to him, the economic environment is becoming so severe that it is indirectly encouraging unlawful survival strategies among citizens struggling to meet basic needs.
“The current living standard is training citizens to become thieves,” he said during the programme.
The SDP figure also referenced his experience in the 2023 presidential election, noting that many of the developments he warned about during his campaign have since become reality.
“I ran for President in 2023, but I didn’t realise I was running to be a prophet. Everything I predicted has happened,” he added.
Adebayo further criticised the economic direction of the current administration under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, particularly policies introduced since May 2023, including the removal of fuel subsidy, which has contributed to a sharp rise in transportation and commodity prices.
He argued that these policy decisions have weakened the purchasing power of citizens and deepened economic hardship without addressing concerns around transparency and accountability in governance.
“President Tinubu’s policies have ruined the economy and weakened Nigerians’ purchasing power, without delivering the accountability people sought,” he stated.
The SDP chieftain also questioned the effectiveness of governance structures in the country, suggesting that what currently exists is not a fully functional system serving constitutional expectations.
“What we have today in Nigeria are people in power, not a government as contemplated by our constitution,” he said.
Despite his criticism, Adebayo said his party remains focused on presenting alternative policy directions aimed at addressing key national challenges.
He said the SDP would prioritise reforms in healthcare delivery, education, and economic empowerment, with particular emphasis on improving the purchasing power of citizens.
According to him, the party is also working to engage voters who did not participate in the 2023 general elections, as part of efforts to expand its political base ahead of future contests.