By Ayo Ayodele
Dr. Gbenga Olawepo-Hashim is enjoying growing political goodwill in Kaduna, the heartbeat of Northern politics, as the State Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Edward Percy Masha, declared that only a PDP-led coalition can successfully unseat the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in the 2027 general elections.
♦️Crowd of loyalists at the event
Masha made this assertion on Wednesday while receiving members of the Gbenga Olawepo-Hashim Solidarity Movement (GOH-Front), who stormed the Kaduna PDP Secretariat in their thousands to press for the reversal of the party’s zoning of its presidential ticket to the South.
Speaking after receiving the group’s petition, Masha stressed that while alliances were welcome, only the PDP had the national spread and structure to mount a serious challenge to the APC.
“Coalitions are welcome, but no party has the structure across the country more than PDP. Take it or leave it, PDP is the only party that can provide that kind of structure,” he said.
He noted that Nigerians had become disillusioned with the APC after years of economic hardship, adding that the ruling party’s popularity had collapsed nationwide.
“Any reasonable Nigerian knows the people are not happy with this system. We were told to be patient with Buhari for eight years. Now the same people are telling us to be patient again under Tinubu. No Nigerian wants to hear APC’s name anywhere,” he said.
The PDP Chairman lamented that many families could no longer afford food or school fees, stressing that voters would punish the APC at the polls.
“Today, how many Nigerians can feed themselves even twice daily? Look at prices in the market compared to two years ago. The economy is bad, the cost of living is high. Nigerians will not reward APC with another term,” he added.
Masha also predicted that the party’s forthcoming National Convention on November 15 and 16 would be a watershed moment, attracting returnees and re-energizing the PDP ahead of 2027.
On the NEC’s decision to zone the presidential ticket to the South, he reiterated that zoning did not preclude any aspirant from contesting. “That is the NEC decision, and I cannot go against it. But it was also clearly stated that zoning does not preclude anybody who intends to contest. So the field is still open for anyone with the capacity and interest,” he clarified.
Earlier, the State Coordinator of GOH-Front, Hon. Aliyu Mohammed (Achili), argued that restricting the ticket to the South could weaken PDP’s chances against the APC.
“The presidential ticket should be left open to every Nigerian who is a loyal member of this party and capable of contesting. That is the only way PDP will be stronger,” he said.
Observers note that Olawepo-Hashim’s message of inclusivity and national renewal is resonating widely in Kaduna, a state long considered the barometer of Northern politics, where his grassroots appeal is steadily gaining momentum.
During the recent Maulud celebration at the Murtala Muhammad Square in Kaduna, hundreds of Olawepo-Hashim’s supporters were visibly on ground, waving posters and chanting solidarity songs. They affirmed their unalloyed support for the Kebbi-born politician, predicting that he would emerge as the next occupant of the Presidential Villa in 2027—once the PDP adopts him as its candidate.