Former presidential aspirant of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Dr. Gbenga Hashim, has strongly faulted what he described as a calculated effort by associates of President Bola Tinubu to polarise Nigeria along regional and ethnic fault lines, cautioning that such narratives undermine national cohesion and constitute a disservice to the country.
According to Hashim, the renewed emphasis on a North–South divide by certain figures within the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) reflects a diversionary political strategy designed to deflect attention from mounting economic challenges and governance shortcomings under the current administration.
Responding to remarks credited to the President’s Chief of Staff, Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila, Hashim characterised the approach as simplistic, irresponsible, and inimical to Nigeria’s national security and long-term stability.
He argued that exploiting regional sentiment to evade accountability for policy failures violates the constitutional obligation to preserve the unity of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and risks deepening existing social fractures.
As the country approaches the 2027 general elections, the PDP stalwart dismissed renewed debates around rotational presidency, insisting that Nigerians have moved beyond symbolic power-sharing arrangements in favour of measurable competence and results.
Hashim maintained that the electorate is focused on leadership capable of stabilising the economy, addressing insecurity, and fostering national unity, rather than the regional origin of the next president.
He further observed that both the North and the South have had ample opportunities to govern since the return to democratic rule in 1999, noting that leadership outcomes cannot credibly be attributed to geography but to performance and policy choices.
Warning against the resurgence of ethnic rhetoric amid economic hardship and rising insecurity, Hashim said such tactics only expose a lack of substantive solutions within the ruling party.
He called on Nigerians to resist divisive politics and emphasised that regional sentiment would not shield the APC from electoral accountability.
According to him, the 2027 elections will be decided on leadership quality and governance delivery, not ethnic allegiance, signalling what he described as the end of politics driven by emotional and regional manipulation.
