By Ayo Ayodele
Presidential hopeful of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Dr. Gbenga Hashim, has condemned what he described as a deliberate attempt by aides of President Bola Tinubu to fracture Nigeria along regional and ethnic lines, warning that such rhetoric amounts to a betrayal of the Nigerian nation.
Hashim said the renewed push for a North–South dichotomy by elements within the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) is a desperate political diversion, aimed at shielding the Tinubu administration from scrutiny over worsening economic and governance outcomes.
Reacting to a statement attributed to the Chief of Staff to the President, Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila, Hashim described the strategy as “pedestrian, reckless, and fundamentally undermines Nigeria’s National Security interest”
“Dividing Nigeria along regional lines in order to escape accountability for governance failure is shameful and dangerous. It is a direct betrayal of the oath to defend the unity of the Federal Republic of Nigeria,” Hashim said.
Addressing the build up to the 2027 general elections, the PDP chieftain dismissed arguments centered on rotational presidency, insisting that Nigerians are no longer interested in symbolic power-sharing formulas.
“Nigerians are not asking for a Northern or Southern president. They are asking for a competent president, one who can revive the economy, secure lives and property, and unite the country around a shared future, of Prosperity ” he stated.
Hashim reminded the APC that both regions have had substantial opportunities to govern Nigeria since 1999, noting that the South has produced presidents for approximately 17 years, while the North has governed for about 10 years within the same democratic period.
“Leadership failure cannot be blamed on geography. Both regions have governed. What matters now is performance, not origin,” he said.
He warned that resurrecting ethnic narratives at a time of deep economic distress, rising insecurity, and social fragmentation only exposes the ruling party’s lack of credible solutions.
“Using ethnicity and region to mask incompetence is not only lazy politics, it is a direct insult to Nigerians who are struggling to survive,” Hashim added.
Calling on citizens across the country to reject divisive politics, Hashim stressed that the APC would not be able to hide behind regional sentiment in the next election cycle.
“Come 2027, Nigerians will vote for leadership, not tribal loyalty. The era of emotional blackmail is over,” he concluded.