Prince Adewole Adebayo, the 2027 presidential candidate of the Social Democratic Party (SDP), has vowed to execute a comprehensive overhaul of Nigeria’s criminal justice system if elected into office.
Speaking on Friday, October 16, 2026, during a keynote address delivered on his behalf at a civil society human rights symposium organized by the Committee for the Defence of Human Rights (CDHR), Adebayo declared that Nigeria cannot build a stable democracy or protect fundamental rights under a judicial architecture compromised by corrupt political leadership.
The address, titled “The Counter-Intuitive Architecture of Human Rights”, was delivered at the event venue by Comrade Mark Adebayo, the Chief Media Adviser to the Adebayo-Bugaje Presidential Campaign.
Delivering the presidential candidate’s remarks, Comrade Mark Adebayo conveyed Prince Adebayo’s apology for his inability to attend in person due to a long-standing prior engagement, but stressed his unyielding alignment with the human rights community.
”We cannot have a criminal justice system run by criminals,” Adebayo asserted in the statement. “Our administration will overhaul Nigeria’s criminal justice system in a way that ensures equal delivery of justice, punishes the culpable, and strictly protects the innocent.”
Highlighting the principles of institutional integrity, procedural universality, and the rule of law, Adebayo outlined the following focal areas for his administration’s planned justice sector overhaul.
Eradication of Systemic Corruption, by removing corrupt elements from public office to ensure law enforcement and judicial bodies act as impartial arbiters rather than tools of political oppression.
Upholding core legal doctrines to guarantee that justice is governed strictly by evidence and institutional mechanics rather than visceral emotion or mob sentiment and reinforcing individual civil rights as the immutable foundation of Nigeria’s social contract, ensuring equal defense under the law for all citizens regardless of status.
Adebayo commended the Committee for the Defence of Human Rights (CDHR) for remaining a steadfast beacon of civil advocacy and human rights activism in Nigeria.
Reaffirming the SDP’s commitment to deep-seated democratic and institutional reforms ahead of the 2027 general elections, he urged civil society organizations to maintain active vigilance to safeguard the rule of law and democratic accountability across the country.
