THISDAY 2023 Shortlist and the Unwarranted Attack from PYO Spporters

Former presidential candidate and businessman, Gbenga Olawepo-Hashim decries the harsh criticism against his person from supporters of Vice President Yemi Osinbajo

We recently introduced a link to the THISDAY review on Seven persons considered to fit the description of Ibrahim Babangida (GCFR), of a President Nigeria should consider for 2023 Presidential election.
In that review, Raji Fashola, Bukola Saraki, Ibikunle Amosun, Kayode Fayemi, Yemi Osinbajo and my humble self were considered.

Unfortunately, a group of contributors on my wall who called themselves PYO supporters went on a tirade against my person. Just to be clear, Vice President (VP) Yemi Osinbajo is a man I have great respect for, and I am wondering if he will approve of the gross abuse of privilege which the so called PYO supporters displayed on my wall.

Some of these folks who thought they were marketing VP Yemi Osinbajo said I am not qualified to be President because I am not an Ex-Governor, Ex-Councilor or Ex-Minister. That is not in the Nigerian constitution. As a Professor of Law, VP Yemi Osinbajo knows this. In 2014 when he was nominated as running mate to President Mohammadu Buhari, he had not been elected to any public office before, not even a party office at any level.

I would have ignored those vile attacks but that would not be helpful to other friends on this platform who are mostly young people who need genuine information.
Apart from corruption, one of the greatest problems of our country is lack of proper education and I owe it a duty to use this page to pass on correct information.

Anytime big change happens, in history, it is usually led by those who have not been too connected with the status quo; so they will not be Ex-this, Ex-that.
President Abraham Lincoln never won election previously as House of Assembly member or member of House of Representatives before he was elected President of the United States. He went ahead to be the best President of America on record.

Nelson Mandela could not have been Ex-anything under the apartheid government, unlike his rival, Buthelezi, who was serving the apartheid system as Prime Minister of KwaZulu-Natal, not being Ex-this, Ex-that could not have disqualified Mandela as President of South Africa and the best one on record.

I have been in politics as a leader for about three decades, with due respect, earlier than any of the six others considered on that list. I had been presented by a ruling party before as a ministerial nominee, 22 years ago. The man at the helm of affairs was honest enough to say “Gbenga is good, but no one can control him”. I even attended ministerial retreat.

I am clear that many past leaders will only be OK to make me adviser than give me executive position. I am fine with that using my God-given talent to do other things for the benefits of humanity until God says my time has come.

There are one or two people who were councilors when I was a national officer of the ruling party then, who are now two-term Governors. I do not begrudge them. And for the record, I produced majority of Councilors, Chairman of council and State Assembly member in my constituency then in Kwara State, even when the “Big Politician” of the State was in the opposite party.

I have younger ones who had worked with me as staff before who have become ministers in Nigeria more than 10 years ago and I do not envy them.
Hakainde Hichilema has just been elected Zambian President, he was not former Governor or former minister. He is a Cattle Rancher.

Now, on the vexed issue of zoning, my position is so clear that the next President of Nigeria should be a true Nigeria President. Not a Yoruba, Hausa, Ibo, Tiv or Kanuri President. He or She should be someone who can unite Nigeria, secure the country, and bring economic prosperity.

At the right time when our party, the APC says it’s time to choose a Presidential flagbearer, we shall consider that question.
I am not afraid that the right thing will be done because the leader of the APC, President Muhammadu Buhari, unlike many other past leaders, is not afraid of a man who has a clean record.