No Legal Tricks Can Stop APC’s Defeat In 2027 – Hashim

A former presidential aspirant on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Gbenga Hashim, has declared that the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) will be removed from power in the 2027 general elections.

The politician insists that Nigeria’s multiparty democracy cannot be destroyed by legal or administrative manipulation.

Hashim, a prominent figure in Nigeria’s pro-democracy struggle, accused the APC-led Federal Government of deploying institutional and legal strategies aimed at weakening opposition participation ahead of the next election cycle.

He described the alleged actions as part of a worrying trend that threatens the future of democratic competition in the country.

According to the PDP chieftain, recent political developments suggest a deliberate attempt to narrow the democratic space and tilt the playing field in favour of the ruling party.

He warned that such moves mirror past efforts to undermine political pluralism in Nigeria, stressing that similar plots in the past were defeated by the collective resolve of Nigerians.

“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.

Hashim reaffirmed Nigeria’s commitment to multiparty democracy, noting that the country’s founding fathers deliberately adopted political pluralism at independence and entrenched it in the Constitution.

He maintained that no individual or group, regardless of influence or strategy, could overturn that foundational choice.

“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,” he stated.

The PDP presidential hopeful cautioned against any slide toward authoritarianism, drawing parallels with the political history of Zaire under the late Mobutu Sese Seko, where prolonged one-man rule weakened democratic institutions.

He insisted that Nigeria would not tolerate such a regression.

“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, as was the case with Zaire under Mobutu Sese Seko,” Hashim said.

Hashim also expressed concern over what he described as selective administrative actions in the political party registration process.

He alleged that while some political associations that met statutory requirements had reportedly remained stalled, others perceived to be sympathetic to the ruling party were granted interim recognition.

According to him, such developments represent early warning signs of democratic backsliding.

The PDP chieftain called on Nigerians and the international community to remain vigilant in defending democratic norms and institutions.

He urged “lovers of democracy across the world” to consider lawful and targeted accountability measures against individuals allegedly involved in undermining Nigeria’s multiparty system.

Hashim said such measures, where backed by credible evidence and due process, could include travel restrictions and the freezing of assets.

He emphasised that safeguarding democracy requires transparency, accountability and strict adherence to constitutional principles by both political actors and institutions.

Hashim concluded by expressing confidence that, despite current challenges, Nigerians would rise to defend democracy and remove the APC from power peacefully and constitutionally through the ballot in 2027.

According to him, “No amount of intimidation or manipulation can stop the will of the Nigerian people.”