By Lanre Oloyede
Christian cleric and political mobiliser, Prophet Isa El-Buba, has endorsed the Social Democratic Party (SDP) presidential candidate, Prince Adewole Adebayo, ahead of the 2027 general elections.
El-Buba announced his support at the public presentation of Adebayo’s policy blueprint, Farewell to Poverty and Insecurity: Governance and Accelerated Development — Blueprint of a New Nigeria, 2027–2031.
The cleric said he decided to back Adebayo after studying the candidate and his policy proposals, which he described as a credible framework for addressing Nigeria’s development challenges.
“If there is one person that is going to really, really fix Nigeria as we desire, it is Prince Adewole,” El-Buba said.
He argued that Nigeria had sufficient human and natural resources to prosper but had struggled because successive administrations had failed to effectively organise and deploy those resources for the benefit of citizens.
El-Buba commended the blueprint’s emphasis on practical improvements in security, food production, water, energy, healthcare, education, housing, employment, justice and digital access.
He said the plan’s economic vision, particularly its emphasis on moving Nigeria from dependency towards self-reliance and prosperity, was another reason for his support.
The cleric also expressed confidence in Adebayo’s running mate, Professor Abduljalil Tafawa Balewa Bugaje, whom he said he had worked closely with and considered capable of contributing to the leadership required to address the country’s challenges.
Recalling his role in political mobilisation through the Coalition for Better and Brighter Nigeria (CBBN) ahead of the 2023 elections, El-Buba said a similar grassroots structure could be deployed on a larger scale for the 2027 election.
“It is no longer speeches; it’s action time,” he declared.
He announced plans to begin mobilisation in Kano before extending the campaign to other North-Central states, while urging each supporter to mobilise at least 100 people within their communities.
El-Buba also called on the SDP to identify credible Nigerians with strong community support and give them opportunities to contest elections, regardless of their financial capacity.
He urged the party to prioritise integrity, competence and character in selecting candidates, saying the SDP must demonstrate that it had moved beyond its past image.
“It is time we present to Nigeria that SDP is no longer the SDP of yesterday. The present SDP is the SDP of credibility, competence and character,” he said.
El-Buba expressed optimism that the party could mobilise at least 15 million Nigerians behind Adebayo and Bugaje before November, describing the target as part of a wider effort to secure Nigeria’s future.
He urged Nigerians to participate actively in the political process rather than remain focused on immediate personal gains.
“Nigeria must be saved, and now is the time to get Nigeria saved,” he declared.
