Speech by Kabiyesi, Oba Oladipo Olaitan, Leader of Afenifere, at 2026 National Convention/Presidential Primaries

on May 9 2026, at Abubakar Tafawa Balewa Stadium, Bauchi, Bauchi State

Distinguished leaders of the Social Democratic Party, …. delegates, elders, women and youth of our great nation,

I greet you all in the name of peace, unity, and progress. It is an honour to stand before you today in Bauchi at this historic Congress where we shall elect new officers and, most importantly, our presidential candidate for the journey ahead.

Nigeria is bleeding

1. Our people can no longer sleep with both eyes closed because of the unrelenting wave of insecurity — banditry, kidnapping, terrorism, and communal clashes that have turned farmlands into killing fields and turned hope into fear.
2. At the same time, the economy has been brought to its nadir. Prices of basic goods have gone beyond the reach of ordinary families. Our youths roam the streets without jobs, and our farmers and traders struggle daily just to survive.
3. Nigerian democracy is under threat today with a government that is jittery about constructive opposition.  As we are all aware, the APC government breaks any identifiable opposition into fractious factions, whilst destroying the very basis of multiparty system. Fellow Nigerians and members of our great party SDP, we must unite to keep democracy alive. What is wrong with thousands of birds flying even as the sky is wide enough for every flight?

This suffering of many is not an act of God. It is the direct result of wrong choices and of neo-liberal economic policies that put market forces and elite comfort above the welfare of the people. The coming election is not between the North and the South or between contending ethnic and religious affiliations but between the irresponsive political party in government and the mass of the Nigerian people who are subjected to avoidable hardship and grinding poverty.

Enough is enough. Nigeria urgently needs a change of government — a fundamental shift from policies that favour the few to programmes that serve the many. And a progression towards a country where oppositions are not stifled.

This is why we, the Afenifere, stand firmly with the Social Democratic Party (SDP). SDP is not just another political party; it is the party that best reflects the values of social justice, equity, and a genuine concern for the masses and for democracy. SDP believes in welfarist economic policies and programmes — programmes that put the welfare of citizens first. We must return to a people-centred economy where government actively creates jobs, supports agriculture, promotes local and cottage industries, builds railways connecting all local governments, provides affordable education, housing and healthcare, ensures fair access to credit, and protects the vulnerable in society instead of abandoning them to the so-called “invisible hand” of the market. We must create a vibrant democracy.

Fellow Nigerians, only a welfarist approach can heal our wounds. Only SDP has the ideology, the structure, and the commitment to deliver this change. You can Google us to check our trajectory; – check our history. We have capable, experienced, and compassionate leaders, in states and at national levels, who are ready to tackle insecurity with sincerity and restore dignity to our economy.

Today, as you elect your officers and presidential candidate, I urge you to choose courage over comfort, and service over selfishness. Choose the path that Afenifere has trodden — the path of Social Democracy. Together, let us rescue Nigeria and build a country where every citizen, from the creeks of the Niger Delta to the savannah of the North and the forests of the South, can live in Peace and prosper with dignity.

God bless the Social Democratic Party.

God bless the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

Thank you.