Former presidential candidate, Dr. Gbenga Hashim, has dismissed concerns that recent legal and political moves could weaken the Peoples Democratic Party, saying Nigeria’s democratic foundations are too firmly established to allow the emergence of one-party dominance.

In a statement released on Thursday, Hashim said he was not intimidated by what he described as calculated attempts by the ruling All Progressives Congress to destabilise opposition parties. According to him, Nigeria’s political history shows that power has never been successfully monopolised by a single individual or platform.

Defence of multiparty democracy

Hashim argued that pluralism has always been central to Nigeria’s political identity. He noted that at independence, the country’s founding leaders deliberately adopted a multiparty system as a way of managing ethnic, cultural and regional diversity.

“Nigeria has consistently embraced multiparty democracy,” he said, adding that even during the First Republic, political influence was widely shared rather than concentrated.

He recalled that despite the dominance of Sir Ahmadu Bello and the Northern People’s Congress, other movements such as Aminu Kano’s Northern Elements Progressive Union, J.S. Tarka’s Middle Belt Congress and Sir Kashim Ibrahim’s Borno People’s Union remained influential within the political space.

According to Hashim, the South West also reflected this diversity, with the Action Group competing alongside the NCNC and other regional parties including the Ibadan People’s Party.

“Our democracy has never revolved around a single figure or organisation,” he said. “The political space has always been broad, with room for many voices.”

Historical parallels and warning

Drawing on recent history, Hashim compared the current political environment to the aborted self-succession plan of former military ruler, General Sani Abacha. Abacha had sought to emerge as the sole presidential candidate of all five registered political parties before his death in 1998.

According to Hashim, the present situation differs in form but not in intent.

“While Abacha tried to turn every party into a vehicle for his ambition, the present strategy is to weaken major parties so none can present a credible alternative,” he said.

He expressed confidence that such efforts would ultimately fail, just as the Abacha project collapsed.

Role in pro-democracy struggle

Hashim also reflected on his role in the resistance against militarygk, insisting that the struggle for democracy was led from within the country rather than from exile.

He disclosed that he was part of the internal resistance delegation at Fort IBB on June 8, 1998, at a time when heavy military deployments heightened fears about Nigeria’s future.

Confidence in the future

Concluding his remarks, Hashim said he remained optimistic that Nigeria’s democratic trajectory would withstand current pressures.

He expressed belief that the same resolve and circumstance that ended past attempts at political domination would again prevail, insisting that no agenda aimed at sidelining major parties could endure.