The defacement of campaign posters belonging to Accord Party presidential candidate, Dr Gbenga Olawepo-Hashim, in Katsina has raised concerns among his supporters, who interpret the incident as a sign of growing political rivalry as the party intensifies its North West mobilisation ahead of the 2027 presidential election.
The posters, which had been displayed as part of efforts to expand Hashim’s visibility in the state, were reportedly vandalised, with campaign materials deliberately defaced.
The incident has triggered speculation among supporters about possible political motives, although the identity and affiliation of those responsible have not been established.
Some Accord supporters suspect that individuals sympathetic to either the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) or the African Democratic Congress (ADC) could be behind the act. They argue that the growing visibility of Accord and its presidential candidate in the North West is introducing a new dimension to the political contest in a region where established parties have traditionally maintained substantial political structures.
The incident comes amid an expanding grassroots mobilisation effort by Hashim’s supporters across Kano, Katsina, Kaduna and Jigawa, with particular attention to rural communities and areas described by campaign organisers as underserved or ungoverned.
The mobilisation is connected to an ambitious six million vote target announced by the Hashim Progressive Movement for the North West. The target covers the region’s seven states, including Kano, Katsina, Kaduna, Jigawa, Kebbi, Sokoto and Zamfara.
The movement has said it intends to build support through community level engagement, political stakeholder coordination and grassroots mobilisation, extending its activities beyond major towns and established political centres. Hon Bashir Miko and other leaders in Kano had equally promise deliver 2 million votes for Gbenga Hashim in kano.
The campaign’s growing activity has also been accompanied by reports of political realignment in parts of the region. In June, media reports documented declarations of support for Hashim by former APC stakeholders and members in Kano, Jigawa and Katsina, who announced their movement to Accord during separate mobilisation meetings.
For Accord supporters, the Katsina incident underscores the importance of protecting democratic participation and allowing political parties to campaign without intimidation or destruction of their materials.
The defacement also raises questions about the atmosphere in which political mobilisation will take place as the 2027 election approaches.
With the North West emerging as a major focus of Hashim’s campaign strategy, the incident is likely to attract further attention to the political competition surrounding Accord’s efforts to establish a stronger presence across the region.
