By Yusuf Danjuma Yunusa
The Social Democratic Party (SDP) and the Inter-Party Advisory Council (IPAC) have clarified that their recent closed-door meeting with President Bola Tinubu was focused on strengthening Nigeria’s democratic framework and restoring confidence in the electoral process ahead of the 2027 general elections.
The clarification, made on Friday, comes amid widespread speculation regarding the nature of the engagement, which followed an Iftar dinner hosted by the President for opposition leaders earlier in the week.
Addressing party leaders and opposition figures at a gathering convened by former SDP presidential candidate Adewole Adebayo in Abuja, the National Chairman of the SDP, Prof. Sadiq Gombe, disclosed that the meeting with the President took place on Wednesday at the invitation of the Presidency and lasted approximately one hour.
According to Gombe, the discussions were centred on the urgent need for transparent electoral laws and institutional reforms that would guarantee credible elections.
“On Wednesday, we met with Mr President at his invitation. We attended the Iftar, and we are proud of the party leaders and the IPAC chairman. We had an hour with the President to remind him of the importance of ensuring free, fair, and credible elections in 2027,” Gombe said.
“Democracy, by definition, is government of the people, by the people, and for the people. It is the responsibility of the government to listen to Nigerians and do the needful by enacting electoral laws that ensure transparency and pave the way for good governance.
“We are aware of the situation in our country. I want to use this opportunity to reiterate that the SDP stands firmly for democracy and will remain democratic. We therefore call on the government—and particularly the National Assembly—to heed the cries of Nigerians.”
Gombe also expressed concern over the low voter turnout during the recent Area Council elections in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), describing it as a reflection of growing public disillusionment with the electoral system.
“Just about a month ago, elections were held in the FCT. But because Nigerians have lost confidence in the electoral process, only about seven per cent of registered voters turned out in the AMAC election—despite AMAC being the most cosmopolitan and educated area council in the territory.
“There is a need for us to rethink our approach and remain focused. We must do what is necessary to guarantee a credible and transparent process for the survival of our democracy,” he added.
In his remarks, the National Chairman of IPAC, Dr. Yusuf Dantalle, revealed that the council used the opportunity of the meeting to raise concerns regarding specific aspects of the proposed electoral reforms. Key issues highlighted included the conduct of indirect primaries and the mandatory electronic transmission of election results.
