Dr. Gbenga Hashim, a presidential aspirant on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), has vowed that the All Progressives Congress (APC) will be voted out in the 2027 general elections, insisting that Nigeria’s multiparty democracy cannot be derailed by legal or administrative maneuvers.
Hashim, a veteran of Nigeria’s pro-democracy movement, alleged that the ruling APC was using legal and institutional actions to weaken opposition participation ahead of the next election cycle. He warned that such moves pose risks to democratic competition in the country.
Recalling Nigeria’s struggle under military rule, Hashim said, “We have travelled this road before under Abacha’s dictatorship, and it ended in victory for the forces of genuine democracy, while the plotters of one-man rule were disgraced.” He emphasized that Nigeria’s founding fathers deliberately chose political pluralism and embedded it in the constitution, ensuring the preservation of multiparty democracy.
He cautioned against authoritarian tendencies, drawing parallels with the late Mobutu Sese Seko’s prolonged one-man rule in Zaire, which weakened democratic institutions. Hashim also raised concerns about selective administrative approvals in the political party registration process, alleging that some parties aligned with the ruling APC were fast-tracked while others were stalled.
Describing these developments as warning signs of democratic backsliding, the PDP chieftain called on Nigerians and the international community to remain vigilant in defending democratic norms. He suggested lawful accountability measures, including travel restrictions and asset freezes, against individuals allegedly undermining Nigeria’s democratic system.
Hashim stressed that democracy in Nigeria can only be safeguarded through transparency, accountability, and adherence to constitutional principles. He expressed confidence that Nigerians would remove APC from power peacefully, constitutionally, and through the ballot in 2027.
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