Former presidential candidate and chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Dr. Gbenga Hashim, has faulted the Federal Government’s handling of Nigeria’s security challenges, accusing it of prioritising political calculations for the 2027 elections over the safety and wellbeing of citizens.
Hashim described the government’s approach to the worsening insecurity across the country as “shamefully political and dangerously unserious,” noting that the administration’s responses are driven more by propaganda than by genuine concern for Nigerians.
“This government treats the blood of innocent Nigerians like a campaign statistic,” he said in a weekend statement. “Instead of confronting terrorists and bandits, they are busy issuing statements and blaming imaginary enemies. Governance is not propaganda. The APC is more interested in securing PDP governors ahead of 2027 than securing Nigeria. Rather than uniting the country, the APC is pitching the South against the North.”
Hashim said the recent debate in the United States over placing Nigeria on a watchlist for religious persecution and security concerns was a direct result of the Federal Government’s failure to deal decisively with terrorism and banditry.
“While Nigeria does not have a state policy of genocide or persecution against any religious group, the levity with which the government handles terrorist activities should worry every decent human being, not only Americans,” he stated.
The PDP chieftain warned that if the current trend continues, terrorists could soon establish parallel governments in parts of northern Nigeria, with the North Central zone becoming their major battlefield before 2027.
“Too many politicians are dancing around 2027, ignoring the fire already consuming the nation. If this continues, the context for elections may not even exist when the time comes,” Hashim cautioned.
He also criticised the Tinubu administration’s economic direction, particularly what he termed “the endless imposition of taxes and levies on already suffering citizens,” warning that such policies are deepening poverty and insecurity.
“When people can’t eat or live in dignity, social violence becomes inevitable. You can’t tax hunger out of poverty; you only create more chaos,” he added.
Hashim called for urgent reforms in the national security architecture and economic policies to restore public confidence and national stability.
“We must save Nigeria now. Delay is dangerous. This is not about politics anymore—it is about the survival of our nation,” he concluded.