By Ibrahim Hassan-Wuyo
Former presidential candidate and Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) presidential hopeful, Dr. Gbenga Olawepo-Hashim, has intensified consultations ahead of the 2027 general election, holding separate meetings with former President Olusegun Obasanjo and former Military President, General Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida (retd.).
The meetings, which were held on Monday, formed part of Olawepo-Hashim’s ongoing engagements with elder statesmen and key national figures to discuss Nigeria’s future direction.
Sources familiar with the consultations said the former presidential candidate assured both leaders of his capacity to confront Nigeria’s security challenges, promote national unity, stabilise the polity, and revive economic growth. He reportedly stressed the need for purposeful, inclusive, and unifying leadership to prevent further national dislocation.
Obasanjo and Babangida, though no longer active in partisan politics, are widely regarded as influential elder statesmen with enduring interest in Nigeria’s unity and stability, having played significant roles in the country’s political and military history.
Olawepo-Hashim arrived at Obasanjo’s residence in Abeokuta at about 11:00 a.m. and departed approximately an hour later. He subsequently travelled to Minna, where he met with Babangida aboard a Hawker 800 aircraft.
During the Minna meeting, Olawepo-Hashim reportedly referenced Babangida’s role during the civil war and appealed to his commitment to Nigeria’s unity.
“General, you still carry in your body the wounds of the war fought to keep Nigeria one. Many of your colleagues were not fortunate to survive that struggle. If Nigeria is allowed to disintegrate today through incompetent leadership, then the sacrifices of patriots like you would have been wasted,” he was quoted as saying.
He emphasised that the 2027 presidential election must be focused on national renewal, warning that continued leadership failure could further threaten the country’s cohesion and stability.
Olawepo-Hashim was accompanied on the visits by the Chairman of the North Central Renaissance Movement, Professor Nghargbu K’tsɔ, alongside other aides.
Political observers view the consultations as a strategic effort by Olawepo-Hashim to position himself as a consensus-building figure ahead of what is expected to be a pivotal 2027 presidential election.
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