Former Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) presidential candidate Gbenga Olawepo-Hashim has criticized the party’s decision to zone its 2027 presidential ticket to the South, calling it “a big error” that threatens the party’s unity and Nigeria’s political balance.
Speaking on Channels Television, Olawepo-Hashim described the decision as “unprecedented” in the PDP’s history, arguing that the party had never previously barred aspirants from any region.
He said, “The PDP has never zoned the presidency before.”
He recalled that in 1999, Olusegun Obasanjo competed against aspirants from both the North and the South.
He added that even in 2003, when Obasanjo was a sitting president, he still faced contestants from across the country.
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Olawepo-Hashim stated that while past leaders may have had preferences, they were expressed through delegates’ votes, not by “shutting the door against entire zones.”
He also warned that the zoning decision could face a legal challenge because it may conflict with Nigeria’s constitution.
He was quoted as saying, “The constitution does not allow you to discriminate against a party member in an elective contest because of where they come from. Even if I am not running, any member of the PDP can go to court to say they were excluded, and the court could nullify the party’s candidate.”
Olawepo-Hashim compared the zoning decision to past crises that weakened the PDP, citing Goodluck Jonathan’s 2014 decision to be the sole candidate for re-election.
He said, “The first disaster was in 2014 when Jonathan said he would be the only candidate. Members from other zones felt excluded and walked out. That was the beginning of the PDP’s decline.”
He dismissed arguments that the zoning was a way to correct the mistakes of 2023, insisting that the PDP has always had a tradition of inclusivity and open contestation.
“You cannot start the history of our politics from the G5. Even in 2003, there were rumours that Vice President Atiku might run against Obasanjo…But the contest remained open. That was the PDP way,” he said.
Olawepo-Hashim argued that the new policy plays into the hands of the All Progressives Congress (APC), claiming, “This decision is effectively a default campaign for the return of President Tinubu.”
He stated that by excluding the North, the PDP will not have a viable candidate in 2027.
Despite his criticism, Olawepo-Hashim praised the party for ratifying Umar Damagum as its substantive chairman and commended the PDP for being a party that thrives on debate and internal democracy.
He concluded that the zoning decision “betrays that legacy and could cost the party dearly, just as exclusionary politics did in 2015.”
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