Rivers Local Government Elections Omitting BVAS Sparks Controversy, Wike Remains Untroubled
Gbenga Olawepo-Hashim Clarifies Political Alignments
Gbenga Olawepo-Hashim, a chieftain and presidential hopeful of Nigeria's Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), has made it clear that he does not belong to either the camp of former Vice President Atiku Abubakar or Nyesom Wike.
In an interview on Arise Television's Morning Show on Thursday, Olawepo-Hashim stated that his loyalty is to principles and the Nigerian people, not political godfathers or power blocs. He also distanced himself from the two dominant factions in the opposition party.
Olawepo-Hashim, who has been actively involved in PDP politics at least since the early 2000s, is known for promoting democratic practices within the party and preparing economic plans like the $4 trillion blueprint since 2018. However, he had past disagreements with Atiku Abubakar, and he has also not been aligned with Nyesom Wike.
The context of the statements suggests they were in response to claims of alignment with Nyesom Wike. Wike, who served as the governor of Rivers State from 2015 to 2023, recently became the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
Nyesom Wike dismissed concerns over the non-usage of the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) in the Rivers local government elections, hailing the conduct of the elections as peaceful. However, he did not comment on Olawepo-Hashim's statements.
It is worth noting that Olawepo-Hashim was a Deputy National Publicity Secretary of the PDP 25 years ago. He was active in PDP before Nyesom Wike rose to prominence.
Olawepo-Hashim did not specify the debates over zoning and tenure extension he referred to. Nevertheless, his stance indicates a willingness to chart his own course in the upcoming PDP primaries and the general elections.
In the complex political landscape of Nigeria, Olawepo-Hashim's declaration of independence from the two dominant factions could signal a shift in the dynamics of the opposition party. As the race for the presidency heats up, the PDP and its aspirants will need to navigate these shifting alliances carefully.
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