Former presidential candidate and elder statesman, Gbenga Olawepo-Hashim, has criticised opposition politicians for resorting to ethnic rhetoric in a bid to gain political advantage, describing such tactics as obsolete and detrimental to Nigeria’s unity and development.
In a statement issued on Monday, Olawepo-Hashim warned that the continued deployment of ethnic sentiments in political discourse distracts from the pressing issues confronting the nation.
He called for a shift toward solution-driven engagement that addresses Nigeria’s economic collapse, rampant insecurity, and foreign policy failures.
“Those still stuck in the old game of ethnic blackmail should understand that Nigerians have outgrown that playbook,” he declared. “The people are looking for competent leadership, not ethnic champions.”
Olawepo-Hashim expressed particular concern over recent attempts to label the administration of President Bola Tinubu as a “Yoruba government,” dismissing such claims as both baseless and ironic.
“President Tinubu struggled to win support even among his own ethnic group,” he said.
“He lost Lagos arguably the heart of the Yoruba political base in the 2023 presidential election. So, on what grounds is anyone now calling this a tribal government?”
The former presidential hopeful also accused some of Tinubu’s former allies who were instrumental in his rise to power of now resorting to ethnic incitement because their personal ambitions were unmet.
“It is pure hypocrisy,” he asserted. “You cannot install a government and then disown it on ethnic grounds when your expectations aren’t fulfilled.”
To reinforce his argument, Olawepo-Hashim cited historical instances where Nigerian voters defied ethnic lines in favour of leadership they believed in.
“In 1993, Kano voters chose Moshood Abiola, a Yoruba man, over their kinsman Bashir Tofa. In 2023, Lagosians voted for Peter Obi, an Igbo candidate, over Tinubu. Yet, they returned Governor Sanwo-Olu of the APC. Nigerians are far more politically mature than many politicians assume.”
He stressed that the real crisis confronting the country is not ethnicity, but the absence of purposeful, visionary leadership.
“The nation is groaning under inflation, rising poverty, food insecurity, and a worsening security situation. These are the matters that deserve attention, not tired ethnic narratives.”
Olawepo-Hashim urged political leaders to rise above parochialism and build a genuine alternative rooted in policy substance, performance, and national unity.
“If Nigeria is to move forward, we must reject ethnic division and embrace issue-based leadership. That is the only path to sustainable progress,” he said.
