Photo: The Punch
Democracy No Be Joke: Adebayo Draws a Line in the Sand
You know how Nigerians say 'e don happen before, e go happen again'? Well, some people are already doing the maths — Ebola outbreak plus nervous politicians could equal another excuse to postpone elections. But SDP presidential candidate, Adewole Adebayo, is not having any of that conversation. The man has come out boldly to warn anyone with ideas of using the recent Ebola scare as a political tool to shelve their plans sharp sharp.
In case you've been living under a rock, Nigeria confirmed cases of Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) in 2025, and as expected, panic spread faster than the virus itself. Social media went into overdrive, health authorities began issuing advisories, and somewhere in the corridors of power, you just know there were quiet whispers about whether it was 'safe' to hold rallies and campaigns. That's where Adebayo stepped in — microphone in hand — to say: not on his watch.
The Real Question Nobody Wants to Ask
Here's the thing that makes this issue genuinely interesting, and not just political grandstanding. There IS a real tension here. Public health emergencies are serious business. Ebola kills. It spreads through contact, and campaign rallies are basically the definition of large-scale human contact. So on one hand, health officials have a legitimate job to do.
But on the other hand — and this is where Adebayo's argument gets weight — Nigeria has a history that we cannot ignore. We have seen how 'emergencies' in this country have a funny way of conveniently aligning with political interests. We saw it during security crises in the North. We've heard the arguments during floods, fuel crises, and COVID-19. Every time, democracy ends up being the one that gets asked to 'shift small.' And every time, ordinary Nigerians pay the price.
Adebayo's position is essentially this: if the virus is manageable — which health authorities have been saying it is — then democratic processes must continue. You cannot use a public health scare as cover to manipulate the electoral calendar. Full stop.
Why This Warning Matters Beyond Party Politics
Now, some people will immediately say, 'Adebayo is just doing opposition politics.' And yes, as an SDP presidential hopeful, he obviously has skin in the game. But abeg, let's think bigger than that for a moment.
The 2027 elections are arguably the most consequential in Nigeria's recent democratic history. With the APC, PDP, Labour Party, and several other platforms jostling for position, the political space is more competitive than it has been in years. Any postponement — even a short one — gives incumbent forces time to regroup, resources to deploy, and narratives to rewrite. That's just political reality.
History teaches us this lesson repeatedly. When elections are postponed, the people who benefit are rarely the common man. It's always those already holding the levers of power. So when Adebayo says 'don't shift the elections,' he's not just speaking for his party. Whether he intends it or not, he's speaking for every Nigerian voter who has had their democratic rights played around with like a ball on a Lagos street.
INEC, Are You Listening?
The Independent National Electoral Commission needs to hear this message clearly. INEC has been doing commendable work in recent election cycles, but the commission has also shown in the past that it can be pressured — or at least appear to be pressured — by forces beyond its control. With the Ebola situation still developing, there will be lobbying from various quarters about timelines, logistics, and 'safety concerns.'
Adebayo's public statement serves a useful democratic function — it puts pressure on INEC and the federal government to not even consider the postponement option unless things escalate to a level that makes it genuinely impossible to proceed. And according to current health reports, we are nowhere near that level. Nigeria's health response teams have been deployed, protocols are in place, and the outbreak — while serious — has been described as contained. That means campaigns should go on. Registration should go on. Planning should go on.
Public Health vs Democratic Rights: Who Wins?
This is not actually a binary choice, and that's what people need to understand. You can have both. Countries around the world held elections during COVID-19 — with proper protocols, social distancing, and health guidelines in place. If the world could figure out how to vote with a respiratory pandemic raging, surely Nigeria can manage electoral activity during an Ebola situation that, by all accounts, is still in early stages of containment.
The solution is not postponement. The solution is preparation. Health guidelines at campaign venues. Screening at polling units. Collaboration between INEC and the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC). It is doable. It has been done elsewhere. And it must be done here.
What Nigerians Should Take Away From This
Whether you support Adewole Adebayo or not — and many Nigerians may not even have heard much about SDP's presidential plans until now — his warning deserves applause. Not because he's right about everything, but because somebody needed to say it out loud before the whispers in Abuja became policy decisions.
Democracy is not a luxury item that we set aside when things get uncomfortable. It is the foundation of how we choose who governs us. And in a country where the governed have suffered so much at the hands of unaccountable leaders, every election cycle is a precious opportunity to get it right — or at least, get closer to right.
So as Nigerians, the message is simple: stay health-conscious, follow NCDC guidelines, protect yourself and your family from Ebola. But also — register to vote, stay engaged, and don't let anyone use fear as a weapon against your democratic rights. E be like say 2027 go hot. Let's make sure it happens on schedule.
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