2027 Presidency: Don’t succumb to zoning agitators,Gbenga Olawepo Hashim group warns PDP

Bolaji Omoola, Ilorin

The Coordinator of Gbenga Hashim Vanguard North West, Aminu Bala Wudilawa, has called on the leadership of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) to reject blackmail and pressures to hand over the party’s presidential ticket to any regional political warlord under the pretext of zoning or power rotation.

Aminu said that zoning has done enough damage to Nigeria’s national psychology, noting that democracy is about popular choice, not turn by turn.

In a firm message to the leadership of the party, in a statement by Bala Aminu, he emphasized that only a candidate with genuine national appeal and orientation, capable of winning significant votes in both the North and South can deliver victory to the PDP in 2027.
“Any candidate that cannot win an open, competitive primary by building national consensus has no chance of winning the general election,” he said.

Aminu described Dr. Gbenga Olawepo-Hashim as the ideal candidate who embodies the values, competence, and character required to lead Nigeria at this critical juncture.

“Liberal and patriotic forces in the North are rallying around Gbenga Hashim not because of political sentiment, but because of his broad national appeal, integrity, and long standing commitment to democracy and unity,” he said. “He is a candidate both the North and South can trust.”

Highlighting Gbenga Hashim’s track record, Aminu noted that in the past eight years, no aspirant across PDP or APC has demonstrated deeper insight into national security and economic reform than Dr. Hashim.

He also dismissed the often repeated claim that the PDP presidential ticket in 1999 was zoned to the South, clarifying that General Olusegun Obasanjo emerged not by zoning, but by his strong reputation for national unity following military rule.

“Opportunistic politicians often distort history, but the truth is that Obasanjo was chosen in 1999 because of his commitment to the unity of Nigeria. Today, we see that same spirit in Gbenga Hashim.

As the political terrain shifts toward 2027, the Gbenga Hashim Vanguard has reaffirmed its commitment to mobilizing support nationwide for a pan-Nigerian presidential agenda, one that prioritizes unity, development, and democratic values above ethnic or regional calculation.