Prince Adewole Adebayo, the presidential candidate of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) in the last general election, has criticized President Bola Tinubu’s recent trip to Brazil, describing it as a wasteful exercise that underscores a lack of visionary leadership.
In a statement issued over the weekend in Abuja, Adebayo said the core policies President Tinubu was exploring during his visit are already embedded in the SDP’s manifesto.
He suggested that the President could have saved public funds by engaging with local ideas rather than seeking solutions abroad.
“What President Tinubu is looking for in Brazil is clearly outlined in the SDP manifesto. It’s a matter of leadership, not magic,” Adebayo stated.
He compared Brazil’s successful anti-poverty initiatives, especially under former President Lula da Silva, with Nigeria’s current economic struggles under Tinubu.
Highlighting Brazil’s “Bolsa Familia” program, Adebayo pointed out that it led to a 27% drop in poverty in just four years, a sharp contrast to the rising poverty levels in Nigeria following the removal of fuel subsidies.
“Brazil’s policies are working because they are rooted in strong leadership and effective governance. What we have in Nigeria is the exact opposite,” he said.
Drawing a comparison between Brazil’s Petrobras and Nigeria’s NNPC, Adebayo said the two are worlds apart in terms of transparency and efficiency.
He argued that Tinubu’s approach to managing Nigeria’s oil sector and the broader economy is deeply flawed.
“If Tinubu truly wanted to learn, he didn’t need to fly to Brazil. He could have read the SDP’s manifesto. After all, he was once part of the party,” Adebayo noted.
He expressed mixed feelings about the trip, hopeful that it might open the President’s eyes to better policy models, but disappointed by what he saw as unnecessary spending of national resources.
“Going to Brazil like a tourist to admire what is already within reach in Nigeria is not leadership. It’s a costly distraction,” Adebayo said.
