Taiwo Jimoh Former presidential candidate Gbenga Olawepo-Hashim yesterday criticised opposition politicians using ethnicity for political advantage. According to him, the tactic is harmful to Nigeria’s unity and development.
In a statement, OlawepoHashim warned that the continued deployment of ethnic sentiments in political discourse is a distraction from the pressing issues confronting the nation.
He therefore called for a shift toward solution-driven engagement that addresses Nigeria’s economic collapse, rampant insecurity, and foreign policy failures.
The elders’ statesmen said: “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 concern over recent attempts to brand the Bola Tinubu administration as a “Yoruba government.” He said: “President Tinubu struggled to win support even among his own ethnic group.
“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?”
