Olawepo-Hashim declares PDP unsalvageable, quits party

Former presidential aspirant Gbenga Olawepo-Hashim has permanently quit the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), declaring it a "lost battle" to save the party from internal collapse. Speaking on Arise Television's 'Prime Time' on Tuesday, April 8, Olawepo-Hashim said he had given up on reconciliation efforts after FCT Minister Nyesom Wike's faction held a unilateral convention.

He noted that while he initially supported harmonizing the party's divided national executive, Wike's faction proceeded with a convention that "did their own thing basically from top to bottom." His final break came from reports that the faction intended to "ratify the incumbent President, Bola Tinubu for 2027," which he rejected.

This follows his recent formal exit from the PDP, which he cited as having "degenerated into a party in the pockets of a PDP minister who is working with the opposition." His departure underscores the deepening crisis within Nigeria's main opposition party as the 2027 election cycle approaches.

The PDP, already fractured between Wike's camp and rival factions, now faces questions about its ability to present a unified presidential candidate. Olawepo-Hashim's criticism suggests a segment of the party refuses to accept any process that implicitly endorses President Tinubu's re-election bid.

With the PDP's internal machinery paralyzed, opposition voters may seek alternative platforms or coalesce around other candidates. Will the PDP's remaining leaders attempt another reconciliation, or will more members defect to rival parties ahead of 2027?

SOURCE: https://dailypost.ng/2026/04/08/2027-its-lost-battle-trying-to-save-pdp-olawepo-hashim/