*Alleges APC plot to silence opposition
From Taiye Joseph, Ilorin
Former presidential candidate, Gbenga Olawepo-Hashim, has raised concerns over what he described as a growing threat to Nigeria’s democratic system, accusing the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), of orchestrating moves to turn the country into a one-party state.
Speaking from Doha, Qatar, where he is attending the Covenant Altar of Worship Ministry’s First Worship Convention, Hashim faulted the recent Federal High Court ruling in Abuja which stopped the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), National Convention earlier scheduled for November 15, 2025, in Ibadan.
According to him, the court decision reflects “a calculated attempt to use judicial instruments to cripple opposition politics and suppress multiparty democracy.”
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“What happened in court is not an isolated incident. It is part of a well-coordinated plan to paralyse the opposition and entrench authoritarian rule under the guise of democracy,” he stated.
Hashim also expressed disappointment over reports that former Jigawa State Governor and PDP founding member, Alhaji Sule Lamido, was allegedly prevented from obtaining a nomination form to contest for the position of National Chairman. He described the development as “a clear violation of internal party democracy and a dangerous precedent for political participation.”
The former presidential aspirant accused some people within the PDP, of working against the party’s revival. “Some fifth columnists, knowingly or unknowingly, are collaborating with forces loyal to the ruling party to frustrate ongoing reforms within the PDP,” he alleged.
Despite the challenges, Hashim vowed that loyal party members and true democrats would continue to defend Nigeria’s political plurality. “Those celebrating the creeping civilian dictatorship should pause. The true soldiers of democracy are still standing. We will resist every attempt to kill opposition and destroy pluralism in this country,” he declared.
Hashim said he plans to meet with party stakeholders upon his return to Nigeria to mobilise genuine leaders and patriotic Nigerians to safeguard the nation’s democratic space.
“The darkest hour, they say, comes before dawn. A new day will break for Nigeria’s democracy,” he assured, urging party members to remain steadfast. “We call on party members not to despair and not to faint. The struggle to preserve democracy is one we must never abandon.”
