Presidential aspirant and Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) chieftain, Gbenga Olawepo-Hashim, has distanced himself from the two dominant factions in the opposition party, declaring that he does not belong to either the camp of former Vice President Atiku Abubakar or the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Minister, Nyesom Wike.
Speaking on Arise Television’s Morning Show on Thursday, Olawepo-Hashim stressed that his loyalty is to principles and the Nigerian people, not political godfathers or power blocs.
“I do not belong to any camp. I am Gbenga Olawepo-Hashim. I have always stood on my own political convictions and principles,” he said.
‘I Am Not Wike’s Political Boy’
Olawepo-Hashim dismissed claims that he was aligned with Wike, insisting he had long been active in PDP before the former Rivers governor rose to prominence.
“With due respect to former governor Wike, I cannot be described as his political boy. Twenty-five years ago, when we were debating zoning and tenure extension within the PDP National Executive Committee, where was Wike in the party? At that time, I was already a Deputy National Publicity Secretary of the PDP, speaking at the highest levels of the party,” he said.
He also ruled out belonging to Atiku’s camp, recalling past disagreements with the former Vice President.
“As for Waziri Atiku Abubakar, I also do not belong to his camp. Even when he was Vice President, we had clear political disagreements. I have never been one to simply follow political heavyweights for the sake of expediency,” he added.
Naija News reports that the PDP chieftain restated his opposition to zoning the 2027 presidential ticket, describing it as unconstitutional and divisive.
“My opposition to zoning the presidency is not because I want it to come to the North Central. I oppose it because it is against the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. The Constitution does not permit any political party to restrict elective offices such as the presidency to a particular region. That would be discriminatory,” Olawepo-Hashim explained.
Citing history, he recalled that in 1999, despite an informal understanding to shift power to the South-West, candidates from the South-East and North-West still contested.
“The danger of zoning is that it pits one section of the country against another. Nigerians are not interested in where the president comes from; they want a competent leader who can fix the economy and restore security,” he said.
Olawepo-Hashim clarified that zoning should not be confused with the federal character principle.
“Federal character is affirmative action, meant to ensure inclusiveness in appointments such as ministerial positions, boards and commissions. It does not apply to a single elective office like the presidency,” he stated.
He warned that zoning decisions taken by the PDP National Executive Committee (NEC) could still be overturned by the party’s National Convention, stressing that past attempts to impose zoning had ended in electoral defeat.
Asked whether he would challenge zoning in court if enforced, the PDP chieftain said the issue transcends internal party affairs.
“When it comes to fundamental human rights, it is not an internal party matter. The right to contest the presidency is open to every qualified Nigerian. To bar someone on the basis of region would be unconstitutional, and the courts would have jurisdiction,” Olawepo-Hashim said.
He, however, added that his preference was to resolve issues within the party rather than through litigation.
‘I Returned to PDP on Principle, Not Opportunism’
Olawepo-Hashim also defended his movement across political parties, insisting his decisions were guided by principles.
“If I wanted greener pastures, I would have stayed in APC, the ruling party. Instead, I returned to PDP because I believe it remains the best platform to reform Nigeria,” he said.
On whether he would run for president in 2027, he replied: “That is in God’s hands. No human being can determine that. For me, the priority now is defending the rights of Nigerians and ensuring the PDP follows the constitution. Whether or not I run is secondary.”
The former Deputy National Publicity Secretary decried factional politics in PDP, warning that personality-driven camps were weakening the party.
“My loyalty has always been to principles; justice, equity, democracy and the development of Nigeria. That is where I stand. The camps in PDP today are largely built around personalities and ambitions, not ideology. But I believe Nigeria needs a return to ideology-driven politics where parties are differentiated by ideas, not just personalities,” the Presidential aspirant concluded.
The post PDP Zoning: ‘With Due Respect I Am Not Wike’s Political Boy’ – Olawepo-Hashim Disowns FCT Minister, Atiku Camps appeared first on Naija News.