2027 race, battle of ideas, not force, says SDP presidential aspirant

By Jude Opara

A presidential aspirant under the platform of the Alhaji Shehu Gabam led Social Democratic Party (SDP), Abimbola Hakeem Atanda on Tuesday said if elected, his administration use functional database and effective community policing to tackle insecurity in the country.
Atanda said if given the required effort, it could be used to achieve a safer society for everyone.
He spoke at the national secretariat of the SDP in Abuja after picking expression of interest and nomination forms for the forthcoming 2027 presidential election.
He said time has come for Nigeria to emulate other countries such as the United States, United Kingdom, and France, where he said community policing has helped citizens and law enforcement agencies to collectively combat crime and criminality.
According to Atanda, security becomes stronger when neighbours know one another and can safely report suspicious activities to operatives without any fear.
He further explained that with a proper database, criminal records could easily be tracked across different states in Nigeria within minutes.
“For example, if someone committed a crime in Ibadan and later moved to Lagos to repeat the same offence, authorities would already have access to the individual’s criminal history”, Atanda stated.
He stressed that such a system would not only improve security but also encourage accountability, because people would become more careful about their actions knowing that their records could affect job opportunities and public trust, all through their life.
Meanwhile, the SDP had pegged its presidential nomination form at N75 million (N15 million for the Expression of Interest form while N60 million for the Nomination form. The party also gave a 50% discount on nomination forms for female aspirants and youths, as a way of encouraging them to participate in the electoral process.
When asked how he hoped to confront the incumbent, President Bola Tinubu of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), Atanda said; “I am not afraid of anybody and I am not supposed to be afraid because, it’s not a physical fight but a battle of ideas and ideals. We are all going to face the people of Nigeria with what we have done and want to do if given the opportunity, so it’s the people who will decide who governs the country”.
He further argued that leadership is not about age or power but about ideas, vision, and what one can offer the people.
According to him, one of the fastest ways to strengthen national unity and reduce insecurity was by improving the welfare of the people.
“When citizens have food on their tables and hope for a better future, crime naturally reduces because people are less likely to engage in criminal activities”, he stated.
However, it’s left to be seen how the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) will handle the SDP saga after the rival faction led by Prof. Sadiq Gombe has also selected Prince Adebayo Adewole as its presidential candidate.