BY SEGUN ADEBAYO – The presidential candidate of the Accord Party, Gbenga Olawepo-Hashim, has fiercely condemned the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) for naming prominent opposition governors to its 2027 presidential campaign council, branding the move as a blatant display of “indiscipline and rascality.”
Speaking Tuesday on Channels Television programme, Politics Today, Olawepo-Hashim slammed the inclusion of opposition figures like Osun State Governor Ademola Adeleke of the Accord Partuy (AP) and Anambra State Governor Charles Soludo of All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) into the APC’s election machinery.
He warned that such political cross-carpeting undermines democratic integrity long before the first ballot is cast for the 2027 general elections.
Specifically addressing concerns about the move reflecting political maturity or political survival, the Accord Party candidate dismissed both interpretations, describing it instead as a lack of discipline.
According to him, “No, this is simply indiscipline and rascality,” arguing that Adeleke’s participation in the APC campaign council would not automatically translate into support for President Bola Tinubu among voters in Osun State.
He maintained that the governor’s electoral victory did not give him the power to determine how the people of Osun state would vote in the presidential election and expressed disgust at the unfolding events in the polity.
The Presidential flag-bearer further said: “The fact that Governor Adeleke won his election cannot compel the people of Osun State to vote for Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu”
To support his argument, Olawepo-Hashim reference the 2011 general election, when voters in Osun State did not follow the political direction of then Lagos State Governor, Bola Tinubu, after he allegedly backed the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP)’s candidate, Goodluck Jonathan, instead of the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN)’s presidential candidate, Nuhu Ribadu.
He said Osun voters supported Ribadu despite the reported political arrangement, arguing that the state’s electorate had a history of making independent political choices away from the influence and directives of so-called political bigwigs
“Osun people are incredibly honourable people, what we call Omoluabi in the Yoruba parlance; they are ideological; they have great history, they are not conquered people, they do what they believe,” he said.
Further taking a swipe at the Osun State governor, the Accord Party Standard bearer said Adeleke’s current political alignment would not prevent his party from seeking votes in Osun State during the presidential election, adding: “I still believe that regardless of what Governor Adeleke is doing, Osun people are still going to vote for Accord Party at the presidential election”.
