Dr. Gbenga Hashim, a presidential aspirant for the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), has dismissed recent victories claimed by the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) area council elections, calling them a political illusion rather than genuine electoral wins.
Speaking at a PDP stakeholders’ meeting in Abuja, Hashim argued that many of the candidates who ran and won under the APC banner were formerly PDP members who switched allegiance under pressure, giving a misleading impression of the ruling party’s strength in the nation’s capital.
“In reality, the contest was PDP versus PDP,” Hashim said, accusing the APC of using disproportionate resources and state institutions to manufacture the appearance of political competition.
Hashim insisted the FCT remains a PDP stronghold and urged party members to focus on grassroots mobilisation rather than accept narratives he described as engineered to distort electoral truths.
During the meeting, attended by chairmen from the six FCT area councils and other party leaders, the FCT PDP chairman moved a motion reaffirming support for Hashim’s presidential bid ahead of the 2027 general elections. The motion was backed by members of the PDP Board of Trustees.
Stakeholders also commended Hashim for supporting party candidates during the recent elections and called for the release of party members reportedly detained by security agencies, alleging that these detentions were intended to influence election outcomes.
Political observers say the dispute highlights intensifying competition between Nigeria’s two main parties as they position themselves ahead of the 2027 presidential contest.
