A former presidential candidate of the Social Democratic Party, Adewole Adebayo, has said politics must not be reduced to a tool for personal enrichment, warning that Nigeria’s leadership crisis is driven by selfish and transactional politicians.
Adebayo made the assertion at a high-level meeting in Osun State attended by leaders of Afenifere, the Northern Elders Forum, the Arewa Consultative Forum, and other national stakeholders.
The development was disclosed in a statement on Wednesday by his media aide, Ade Alabi.
The meeting comes amid growing public disillusionment with Nigeria’s political class, often accused of prioritising personal interests over national development as economic hardship and governance challenges persist.
Speaking at the gathering, Adebayo traced the roots of Nigeria’s political system to the independence struggle, noting that the country’s founding fathers embraced politics as a vehicle for service and collective progress rather than personal gain.
He said Nigeria was built as a negotiated federation by leaders from all regions who worked together during the Lancaster House constitutional talks to secure independence based on fairness, cooperation and shared vision.
“What we have practiced since then are politics influenced by military rule or post-military habits.
