Former presidential candidate and chieftain of the Accord Party, Gbenga Olawepo-Hashim, has alleged that Nigeria is gradually sliding back into what he described as the “dark days” of the late General Sani Abacha era, accusing powerful political forces of attempting to cripple opposition parties ahead of the 2027 general elections.

In a strongly worded statement issued ahead of the Accord Party presidential primary scheduled for May 30, 2026, Hashim claimed that there were deliberate efforts by influential figures to weaken opposition platforms and prevent the emergence of credible challengers to the ruling establishment.

“Nigeria is being dragged back to the Abacha years,” he declared.

Hashim accused a top chieftain within the Accord Party of allegedly orchestrating internal manoeuvres aimed at destabilising the party and frustrating its ability to field a presidential candidate.

According to him, the development bears striking similarities to the political climate during the Abacha era, when all registered political parties were aligned behind a single power structure.

“We are seeing a replay of history, when political parties became tools for a self-succession agenda,” he said.

The former presidential candidate also linked the alleged plot to powerful figures within the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, insisting that the attempt to dominate the political space would ultimately fail.

“This coordinated plot by top officials will fail, just as the Abacha agenda failed,” Hashim stated.

He further accused the political establishment of systematically weakening opposition parties through what he described as manipulative legal and political strategies.

According to him, the process included the destabilisation of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), the enactment of a “self-serving and obnoxious” Electoral Act, and the failure of some of its promoters to comply with the same provisions before aspects of the law were challenged in court.

“They weakened the opposition, wrote the rules to favour themselves, and still refused to play by those rules,” he alleged.

Despite the internal crisis within the Accord Party, Hashim maintained that the party’s presidential primary would proceed as scheduled.

“The presidential primary of the Accord Party is scheduled for Saturday, May 30. We are prepared to participate, and by the Grace of God, it will hold,” he said.

In a defiant tone, Hashim vowed that pro-democracy forces in the country would resist any attempt to undermine democratic values and political plurality.

“We shall not be discouraged. We shall not be intimidated. We fought for democracy, and by the Grace of God, we will defend it,” he declared. (Vanguard)

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