A presidential aspirant on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party, Dr Gbenga Olawepo-Hashim, has warned that any attempt by the All Progressives Congress to impose a one-party system on Nigeria will fail, insisting that the country’s multiparty democracy is firmly rooted and resilient.
In a statement issued by the Olawepo-Hashim Media Office and made available to journalists on Sunday, January 18, the PDP chieftain accused the ruling party of deploying legal and administrative tactics aimed at weakening opposition parties ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Olawepo-Hashim said such moves pose a threat to democratic competition but stressed that Nigerians have confronted similar situations in the past and prevailed.
“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,” he said.
He recalled that Nigeria’s founding fathers deliberately adopted a multiparty system at independence and entrenched it in the Constitution, warning that no political force can overturn that legacy.
“Our founding fathers opted for multiparty democracy, and that legacy will be preserved. No group, no matter how determined, will succeed in destroying Nigeria’s democratic system,” he stated.
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Olawepo-Hashim cautioned against any drift towards authoritarianism, drawing parallels with the experience of Zaire under the late Mobutu Sese Seko, where prolonged one-man rule weakened democratic institutions and stifled political competition.
“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,” he added.
The PDP aspirant also expressed concern over what he described as selective administrative actions in the political party registration process, alleging that some qualified associations had been stalled, while others perceived to be aligned with the ruling party were granted interim recognition.
He described the development as a red flag for democratic backsliding and urged Nigerians, as well as the international community, to remain vigilant.
Olawepo-Hashim further called on “lovers of democracy across the world” to consider lawful accountability measures, including travel restrictions and asset freezes, against individuals allegedly working to undermine Nigeria’s multiparty system, where supported by credible evidence and due process.
He maintained that Nigerians would ultimately reject any one-party agenda and peacefully vote the APC out of power in the 2027 general elections.