Gbenga Hashim, a chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), has accused the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) of using legal and institutional measures to weaken opposition participation ahead of the 2027 general election.
In a statement issued on Sunday by his media office, Hashim
said no legal or administrative manoeuvres could derail Nigeria’s multiparty
democracy.
The politician said the APC would be defeated in the 2027
general elections.
Hashim, a long-time figure in Nigeria’s pro-democracy
movement, described the situation as “part of a broader pattern that raises
serious concerns about the future of democratic competition in the country”.
He said the development mirrored past attempts to undermine
political pluralism in Nigeria.
“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 said.
Hashim said Nigeria’s founding fathers deliberately chose
multiparty democracy at independence and entrenched it in the constitution.
“Our founding fathers opted for multiparty democracy, and by
the grace of God, that legacy will be preserved; no group, no matter how clever
or determined, will succeed in destroying Nigeria’s democratic system by the
Grace of God,” he said.
He warned against any slide towards authoritarianism,
drawing parallels with Zaire under the late Mobutu Sese Seko.
“One man rule or one party rule will not happen here; this
is Nigeria, and we will not allow anyone to reduce our democracy to a tragic
parody, as was the case with Zaire under Mobutu Sese Seko,” he said.
Hashim also expressed concern over what he described as
selective administrative decisions in the political party registration process.
He alleged that while some qualified political associations
had stalled in the process, others perceived to be aligned with the ruling
party had received interim recognition.
Describing the situation as a sign of democratic
backsliding, Hashim urged Nigerians and the international community to remain
vigilant in defending democratic norms.
He called on “lovers of democracy across the world” to
consider lawful and targeted accountability measures against individuals
allegedly working to undermine Nigeria’s multiparty system.
Hashim said such measures, subject to credible evidence and
due process, could include travel restrictions and asset freezes.
He said democracy could only be safeguarded through
transparency, accountability, and strict adherence to constitutional
principles.
Despite current challenges, Hashim said, “Nigerians would
defend democracy and remove the APC from power peacefully, constitutionally,
and through the ballot in 2027”.
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