2027: Nigeria drifting back to Abacha era, Olawepo-Hashim Tinubu camp

By Luminous Jannamike

ABUJA — Former presidential candidate and chieftain of the Accord Party, Gbenga Olawepo-Hashim, has accused powerful figures within President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s camp of working to cripple opposition parties ahead of the 2027 general elections, warning that Nigeria was sliding back into the ‘dark days’ of the late General Sani Abacha era.

The accusation comes amid mounting tension within opposition parties, deepening internal crises and growing political realignments ahead of the next presidential election.

In a statement issued ahead of the Accord Party presidential primary scheduled for May 30, Olawepo-Hashim alleged that influential political interests were pushing to weaken opposition platforms and shut out credible challengers to the ruling establishment.

“They weakened the opposition, wrote the rules to favour themselves, and still refused to play by those rules,” Hashim alleged.

He also accused a chieftain of the Accord Party of orchestrating internal moves aimed at destabilising the party and frustrating its chances of fielding a presidential candidate in 2027.

“Nigeria is being dragged back to the Abacha years,” he declared.

According to Hashim, the unfolding developments mirror the political climate under the Abacha regime, when political parties allegedly became vehicles for a single power structure.

“We are seeing a replay of history, when political parties became tools for a self-succession agenda,” he said.

The former presidential candidate further linked the alleged moves to influential figures within the Tinubu administration, insisting that attempts to dominate the political space would ultimately fail.

“This coordinated plot by top officials will fail, just as the Abacha agenda failed,” he stated.

Hashim also criticised what he described as manipulative legal and political tactics allegedly being used to weaken opposition parties.

He pointed to the crisis within the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, and aspects of the Electoral Act, which he described as “self-serving and obnoxious.”

According to him, some of those behind the law later failed to comply with its provisions before challenging parts of it in court.

Despite the internal crisis within the Accord Party, Hashim maintained that the party’s presidential primary would proceed as scheduled on May 30.

“We are prepared to participate, and by the Grace of God, it will hold,” Hashim said.

He insisted that pro-democracy forces would resist any attempt to undermine democratic values and political plurality in the country.

“We shall not be discouraged. We shall not be intimidated. We fought for democracy, and by the Grace of God, we will defend it,” he declared.

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