2027 presidential hopeful, Dr. Gbenga Olawepo-Hashim, has pushed back against a fresh wave of allegations, alleging a coordinated attempt to sabotage his campaign by weaponising claims purportedly channelled through his estranged wife.
In a statement from his media office on Thursday, Olawepo-Hashim said the renewed accusations were “politically scripted” to discredit him as the race to 2027 gathers pace. According to him, similar tactics were deployed against him during his 2019 presidential run and “failed then—as they will fail now.”
“She had been influenced by certain political interests abroad who sought to associate me with wrongdoing. I was questioned in the UK and released when no evidence was found,” he sais.
Legal Battles Framed As Political Warfare
Olawepo-Hashim recalled what he described as earlier attempts to cripple his businesses, including the seizure of two marginal oil assets linked to his company. He noted that in November 2020, the Federal High Court, Abuja restored the Hely Creek and Abigborodo fields to Transnational Energy Limited (TEL) and awarded damages in his favour.
Olawepo-Hashim further referenced a UK default divorce judgment involving his estranged wife, which he said was later set aside by a Nigerian court on jurisdictional grounds, since the marriage was contracted under Nigerian law. He added that his lawyers have repeatedly reached out on issues concerning their children’s welfare, but communication has been difficult.
‘Old Stories, New Season’
Describing the revival of past personal matters in the media as a deliberate political move, the former presidential candidate insisted it is aimed at distracting him from a reform agenda gaining traction nationwide.
“Now that the 2027 campaign season is approaching, it seems some people want to recycle old stories to distract me,” he said.
He also dismissed as false reports of a new court order directing one of his companies to pay ₦300 million, insisting no such process was served on his legal team.
“This is an act of desperation by those who fear our message of reform and inclusion. Such fabrications will not stop our commitment to the Nigerian people. Tales like this did not stop President Trump in America; they won’t stop us here either, by the grace of God,” he added.
