Former presidential candidate and founding member of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Dr Gbenga Olawepo-Hashim, has returned to the party, declaring that despite recent defections and internal challenges, “the people are still with the PDP.”
Speaking during a meeting with the party’s National Working Committee (NWC) at the PDP headquarters in Abuja on Wednesday, Olawepo-Hashim said the PDP remains Nigeria’s only truly national party with the capacity to rescue the country in 2027.
He said: “From the beginning, the PDP was built as a national platform. Since 1998, there has been a sizable PDP presence in virtually every polling unit across the country.
“This legacy remains alive, and it is that national spread that makes PDP the only credible alternative to the APC.”
He dismissed concerns about the party’s declining influence, insisting its core support base remains intact.
“Don’t be discouraged by those who have left. The real strength of any party is not in a few powerful individuals, but in its people—and the people are still with the PDP,” he said.
Olawepo-Hashim also commended acting national chairman, Ambassador Umar Damagun, for steering the party through turbulent times.
“The wisdom and calm with which Damagun has held the reins of this party is commendable. He has kept the house standing when others wanted to tear it apart,” he noted.
Turning to the 2027 presidential election, he urged the party to rally around a credible and visionary candidate focused on security, economic revival, and justice.
His words: “Nigerians are looking for a new kind of leadership. The PDP must offer that hope.
“With unity, discipline, and courage, the PDP will rise again, not just to win elections, but to rebuild Nigeria.”
