Social Democratic Party (SDP) presidential candidate for the 2027 election, Prince Adewole Adebayo, has called for the impeachment of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu over his alleged failure to formally transfer presidential powers to Vice-President Kashim Shettima during his prolonged absence from Nigeria.
Adebayo made the demand through his campaign council, which accused the President of failing to comply with the provisions of the 1999 Constitution concerning presidential absence.
In a statement signed by the council's Director of Communications, Comrade Mark Adebayo, the group cited Section 145(1) of the Constitution, which provides for a written declaration to be transmitted to the President of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives when the President is away on vacation or unable to perform his duties.
The council argued that such a declaration enables the Vice-President to perform the functions of the President as Acting President until the President resumes his duties or communicates otherwise.
Adebayo's campaign team also compared the situation with the administration of former President Muhammadu Buhari, noting that Buhari formally transferred presidential responsibilities to then Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo during periods when he travelled outside the country.
The council expressed concern over the reported absence of both Tinubu and Shettima from Nigeria, saying the situation could raise questions about who was formally empowered to exercise presidential responsibilities in the country.
Adebayo also criticised the National Assembly for not initiating impeachment proceedings. He accused lawmakers of failing to properly exercise their constitutional oversight responsibilities and described the legislature as a "rubber-stamp legislature."
The SDP candidate called on Nigerians, civil society organisations and constitutional lawyers to raise concerns over the matter and demand what he described as a return to constitutional order.