Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Chieftain, Gbenga Olawepo-Hashim, has maintained that the South West will not reward President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s shortcomings in governance with a second term bid in 2027.
The South West Coordinator of the Gbenga Hashim Solidarity Movement (GHSM), Alhaji Abass Olaniyi, stated this in Ilorin in a press release to journalists while responding to Reno Omokri’s recent call urging both the South West and the North to stand behind President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in the next general election.
Omokri, in his widely shared statement, had drawn comparisons to 2019 when the North supported former President Muhammadu Buhari despite his underwhelming record, urging a similar show of loyalty for Tinubu. He further credited Tinubu with expanding Nigeria’s GDP and driving infrastructure works in the North.
In his counter-statement, Olaniyi stressed that the South West cannot “reward monumental failure with another mandate,” accusing Omokri of indulging in political deceit and blackmail, while stressing that good governance rests on competence rather than ethnic loyalty.
“Our people are too politically conscious to reward hunger, poverty, and economic collapse with fresh endorsement,” Olaniyi asserted. He described the performance of the APC-led government as disastrous, pointing out that Nigeria’s GDP, once above $570 billion in 2014, had declined to less than $300 billion, representing nearly half its value.
He argued that this downturn surpassed a recession, amounting instead to outright economic depression, citing rising inflation, joblessness, and poverty levels.
Olaniyi dismissed Tinubu’s GDP growth claims as “a mirage created by currency devaluation that leaves Nigerians poorer than ever,” adding, “Nigerians don’t eat GDP statistics; they eat food, and under Tinubu food is unaffordable.”
Olaniyi positioned Dr. Gbenga Olawepo-Hashim as a viable South West option, portraying him as a leader with the competence, international exposure, and economic expertise to unify both North and South on fairness and merit.
“The South West cannot tie its destiny to a sinking ship. Across Lagos, Oyo, Ogun, Ondo, Osun, and Ekiti, the conversation is already tilting towards Gbenga Hashim. He represents the hope and new beginning that Nigeria desperately needs,” he affirmed.
He further called on Northern leaders to resist divisive rhetoric and instead collaborate with progressive actors working to rescue Nigeria from prolonged misrule.
“2027 is a defining year. Nigerians must rise above deception and sentiment to embrace competent leadership. The South West is ready to lead that change, and Gbenga Hashim is the rallying point,” he concluded.
