Former presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Gbenga Olawepo-Hashim, has criticised the party’s decision to zone its 2027 presidential ticket to the South, warning that it threatens party unity and Nigeria’s wider political balance.
Speaking as a guest on Channels Television’s Politics Today anchored by Seun Okinbaloye on Monday, Olawepo-Hashim described the move as “a big error” and “unprecedented” in the PDP’s history.
He insisted that while the party has always debated internally and allowed caucuses to influence delegates, it had never previously barred aspirants from any region of the country.
“The PDP has never zoned the presidency before,” he said. “In 1999, General Olusegun Obasanjo contested against Alhaji Abubakar Rimi from the North and Dr Alex Ekwueme from the South-East, among others. In 2003, Obasanjo, as a sitting president, still contested against aspirants from across the country. Past leaders may have had preferences, but they expressed them at the convention through delegates’ votes, not by shutting the door against entire zones.”
Olawepo-Hashim said the zoning decision could face a legal challenge as it may conflict with Nigeria’s constitution.
“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,” he said.
While acknowledging that the decision was reached democratically through the National Executive Committee, he insisted it remained a mistake that could and should be corrected.
“NEC is composed of elected members, but human beings can make errors. This is one of those times. The party can still revisit it,” he said.
Olawepo-Hashim drew parallels with past crises that weakened the PDP. He recalled former president Goodluck Jonathan’s decision in 2014 to declare himself the sole candidate for re-election. This move led to defections and contributed to the party’s loss of power in 2015.
“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 said.
He dismissed arguments that zoning the ticket was a way of correcting mistakes made in the 2023 election, when a group of governors known as the G5 rebelled against the PDP candidate, Atiku Abubakar. He demanded that power shift to the South. He insisted that the PDP had always maintained a tradition of inclusivity, even during moments of fierce internal 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, and governors supported him across zones. But the contest remained open. That was the PDP way,” he said.
Olawepo-Hashim further argued that the zoning policy plays into the hands of the ruling All Progressives Congress and strengthens President Bola Tinubu’s prospects for re-election. “This decision is effectively a default campaign for the return of President Tinubu,” he claimed. “Those pushing zoning are the same people who, in 2023, claimed to be PDP members but worked for Tinubu. By excluding the North, the PDP will not have a viable candidate in 2027.”
Despite his criticism, Olawepo-Hashim praised the party for ratifying Ambassador Umar Damagum as its substantive chairman, describing the PDP as a party that thrives on debate and internal democracy. He recalled his own past role in resisting constitutional amendments within the party in 1999, when he and others successfully challenged attempts to extend the tenure of NEC members without due process.
“The PDP has always been a party where decisions can be challenged and corrected. NEC can make an error, but conventions have reversed such errors before. This zoning decision should be treated in the same way,” he said.
For Olawepo-Hashim, the zoning policy risks undermining the PDP’s tradition of inclusivity and weakening its national appeal. “The PDP has always been about inclusivity and competition,” he concluded. “This zoning betrays that legacy and could cost the party dearly, just as exclusionary politics did in 2015.”
