Gbenga Olawepo-Hashim, a prominent figure within the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and former presidential candidate, has labelled the All Progressives Congress (APC) as “a cult, not a political party.” His statement comes amid ongoing criticisms of the ruling party’s structure and leadership.
Speaking during an interview on AIT Democracy Today and later addressing journalists in Abuja, Olawepo-Hashim stated that the APC lacks the essential qualities of a democratic political party. He criticised the party for operating like an authoritarian organisation, where a select few make decisions for the rest, which he claims renders it more of a “cult” than a political platform.
“The APC does not operate as a political party; it functions like a cult where one or two individuals dictate instructions that everyone else blindly follows,” he asserted.
Olawepo-Hashim further criticised the economic trajectory under the APC, highlighting a steep decline in Nigeria’s GDP and a worsening security situation. He noted that while the party promised “change,” it delivered a dramatic decrease in the country’s economic indicators. “Nigeria’s GDP has fallen from over $570 billion in 2014 to under $300 billion in 2025,” he said. “They promised change, and indeed they delivered – by crashing the GDP per capita from over $3,000 to less than $1,000.”
The PDP stalwart also pointed out the expanding insecurity, which has spread across several regions of the country. “Insecurity, which started in the northeast, has now engulfed the northwest, north-central, and southeast regions,” he added.
Contrasting the APC with the PDP, Olawepo-Hashim hailed the opposition party as Nigeria’s “truly democratic platform,” emphasising the internal debates and the freedom for diverse opinions within the PDP. He cited a recent example of PDP governors supporting the party’s national chairman, Umar Damagum, during a show of unity in Zamfara. This, he said, reflected the party’s democratic processes and culture of internal consultation.
Olawepo-Hashim also reminisced about the internal contest within the PDP in 2003, when even then-President Olusegun Obasanjo was subjected to a primary election, highlighting the party’s commitment to democratic principles.
“As a member of the National Executive Committee (NEC) in 1999, I saw firsthand how the PDP held President Obasanjo accountable, even when he was president. In 2003, despite being in office, Obasanjo faced primary challenges from party leaders like Alex Ekwueme and Barnabas Gemade,” he recalled.
As Nigeria approaches the 2027 elections, Olawepo-Hashim urged the electorate to demand higher standards from political parties. He warned that a governance system without ideology or accountability would not lead to prosperity. “The APC exists purely for personal ambition and power acquisition,” he said. “In contrast, the PDP is still the only party where internal debates and discussions shape outcomes.”
He concluded by calling on Nigerians to insist on genuine democratic processes, stressing that political parties must be institutions capable of producing vision-driven leadership for the nation’s development, rather than mere election-winning machines.
