A presidential aspirant on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Dr. Gbenga Hashim, has stated that the All Progressives Congress (APC) will be voted out of power in the 2027 general elections, asserting that legal or administrative actions cannot undermine Nigeria’s multiparty democracy.
Hashim, a long-standing figure in Nigeria’s pro-democracy movement, made the remarks on Sunday while addressing concerns over what he described as efforts by the ruling party to limit opposition participation ahead of the next electoral cycle.
Hashim alleged that legal and institutional measures have been used by the APC to weaken the participation of opposition parties, describing such moves as part of a broader pattern that, in his view, posed a threat to democratic competition in the country.
“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,” Hashim said, drawing parallels with past struggles for democratic governance.
He reiterated the importance of multiparty democracy to Nigeria’s political identity, noting that the country’s founding fathers deliberately chose political pluralism at independence and enshrined 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,” Hashim said.
Hashim warned against any potential drift toward authoritarianism, drawing comparisons with the experience of Zaire under the late Mobutu Sese Seko, where extended one-man rule weakened democratic institutions. “One-man rule or one-party rule will not happen here. This is Nigeria. We will not allow anyone to reduce our democracy to a tragic parody,” he said.
He also voiced concern about what he described as selective administrative decisions in the political party registration process. Hashim alleged that while some political associations that met statutory requirements had reportedly stalled in the process, others perceived to be aligned with the ruling party had received interim recognition.
Describing these trends as early warning signs of democratic backsliding, Hashim called on Nigerians and the international community to remain vigilant in defending democratic norms. He urged “lovers of democracy across the world” to consider lawful, targeted accountability measures, including travel restrictions and asset freezes, where supported by credible evidence and due process.
Hashim emphasised that safeguarding democracy requires transparency, accountability, and strict adherence to constitutional principles by political actors and institutions. He expressed confidence that, despite current challenges, Nigerians would defend democratic principles and remove the APC from power peacefully and constitutionally through the ballot in 2027.
