RismadarVoice Reporters
September 18, 2026
The Social Democratic Party has said it plans to rebuild and transform Nigeria if elected in the 2027 general elections, with the party identifying youth participation and grassroots mobilisation as key components of its political strategy.
The National Chairman of the SDP, Prof. Sadiq Gombe, stated this on Friday while receiving a delegation from the Confederation of West African Youths at the party’s national secretariat in Abuja.
Gombe, who was represented by the Deputy National Chairman, Senator Ugochukwu Uba, said the party’s policy direction was anchored on the welfare and security provisions contained in Chapter II of the 1999 Constitution.
He said the growing interest of young Nigerians in the SDP suggested that its message was attracting attention, while arguing that the country required significant reforms to address its socio-economic and security challenges.
“The SDP is a party that has its ideology threaded. This ideology is based on Chapter Two of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, which talks about provision for the welfare and security of Nigerians,” he said.
Gombe said the party’s recently unveiled policy blueprint contained proposals covering various areas of national development and was designed to address what the party described as longstanding challenges.
The SDP presented its 2027–2031 blueprint, titled Farewell to Poverty and Insecurity, earlier in September. The document outlines proposals on security, employment, infrastructure, education, healthcare, energy, governance and economic development.
Speaking at the meeting, the SDP presidential candidate, Prince Adewole Adebayo, urged party members and supporters to intensify engagement with voters at the grassroots ahead of the 2027 elections.
Adebayo argued that political participation was ultimately determined at the community and polling-unit levels, urging supporters to focus on direct engagement with citizens rather than relying solely on national visibility.
He said the party needed to build stronger relationships with voters within communities across the country.
“Politics is done in the neighbourhoods. We have 176,846 polling units across the country,” Adebayo said.
He also called on young Nigerians to become more actively involved in the political process and contribute to discussions about the country’s future.
The SDP candidate had earlier outlined a policy programme that places security, employment, energy, education, healthcare, infrastructure and governance among its major areas of focus.
The Regional President of the Confederation of West Africa Youths, Israel Akinola, said Nigerian youths needed to participate more actively in determining the country’s political direction.
Akinola also advocated stronger cooperation between the public and private sectors through public-private partnerships to support development.
He expressed concern about the challenges facing young Nigerians and called for greater attention to opportunities that would enable them to contribute meaningfully to the economy.
The meeting came amid increased political activity ahead of the 2027 general elections, with political parties beginning to promote their policy positions and mobilisation strategies.
The SDP’s engagement with youth organisations forms part of its broader efforts to expand its grassroots structure ahead of the elections.
