2027: Adebayo Pledges Federal-State Partnership, Unveils New Federalism Blueprint

The presidential candidate of the Social Democratic Party (SDP), Prince Adewole Adebayo, has proposed a model of Cooperative Federalism in which the Federal, State and Local Governments would work as development partners while retaining their constitutional responsibilities.

Contained in his 2027–2031 blueprint, Farewell to Poverty and Insecurity, Adebayo promoted joint planning, counterpart funding, shared standards and performance-based partnerships where responsibilities overlap.

He also embraced subsidiarity, assigning public responsibilities to the lowest level of government capable of delivering them effectively, adding “The Federal Government would focus on national standards, strategic coordination and matters requiring national scale”.

Adebayo further proposed that states and regions develop sectors in which they have comparative advantages, linking their strengths through value chains, inter-state commerce and shared infrastructure to create “one productive Nigerian economy.”

Rather than imposing identical programmes nationwide, Adebayo said he would allow states to build on their strengths while benefiting from national infrastructure, markets and coordinated investment.

Adebayo’s proposal would shift the relationship between Abuja and the federating units from administrative control to development partnership, making federalism a tool for shared national prosperity.