Dr. Gbenga Olawepo-Hashim, a prominent contender for the 2027 presidential election, has accused factions within the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) of orchestrating a smear campaign against him by leveraging allegations made by his estranged wife. He claims this is a deliberate attempt to tarnish his reputation ahead of the upcoming general elections.
In an extensive declaration, Olawepo-Hashim asserted that the recent accusations from his former spouse were manipulated by political operatives who previously sought to undermine his 2019 presidential ambitions.
He revealed, “She was allegedly influenced by individuals connected to Buhari’s circle at the UK High Commission and the Nigerian Intelligence Agency (NIA). Among other malicious acts, they attempted to implicate me in terrorism financing. I was interrogated in the UK but released due to lack of evidence. She was the source of the information provided to UK officials.”
The politician further claimed that this same group confiscated two of his oil properties, compelling him to engage in a protracted legal dispute. He recounted that in November 2020, the Federal High Court in Abuja, under Justice Taiwo Taiwo, ruled in favor of his company, Transnational Energy Limited (TEL), restoring ownership of the Hely Creek and Abigborodo marginal oil fields. The court declared the government’s revocation unlawful and awarded $20 million in damages against the implicated federal agencies.
Olawepo-Hashim also linked his ex-wife’s ongoing legal confrontations in the UK to this wider political plot, stating she was “recruited by the then Deputy Director-General of the NIA, Air Force General Bello, who is related to her by marriage.”
He explained that she secured an uncontested divorce decree in England, granting her £18 million (approximately ₦36 billion), but this ruling was later overturned by a Nigerian court on the grounds that their marriage was governed by Nigerian law.
“The APC operatives financed her with millions of dollars and facilitated her access to various international grants aimed at female entrepreneurs and startups. Despite repeated requests from my legal team for financial transparency regarding child support, she has refused, prioritizing the £18 million settlement over the children’s welfare,” he added.
The former candidate accused his ex-wife of barring his family from seeing their children, labeling her “a calculated extortionist and social climber who has profited significantly from such tactics.”
He insisted that the resurgence of her allegations is politically driven, emphasizing, “With the 2027 campaign underway, the same APC faction has revived her narrative and is amplifying it through the media.”
Olawepo-Hashim dismissed claims about a recent court order demanding one of his companies pay ₦300 million, describing it as “a fabrication by an APC-controlled night court,” and stated that no such legal notice has been served to his attorneys.
“This desperate maneuver reflects their anxiety as our influence grows. Resorting to stories from disgruntled women targeting opposition figures won’t prevent the APC’s looming defeat in 2027,” he declared.
In closing, he remarked, “Just as such tactics failed to derail President Trump in the United States, they will not deter us here, God willing.”
