Former presidential candidate and Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) stalwart, Dr. Gbenga Olawepo-Hashim, has intensified his consultations ahead of the 2027 general election, holding separate, high-level meetings with ex-President Olusegun Obasanjo and former Military President, General Ibrahim Babangida (retd.).
The closed-door discussions, conducted on Monday, form part of Hashim’s nationwide engagements with elder statesmen and key national figures aimed at charting the future direction of Nigeria.
According to a statement from Kaduna, Hashim assured both former leaders of his ability to tackle Nigeria’s pressing security challenges, restore national unity, stabilise the polity, and drive economic prosperity. He stressed that the nation urgently needs purposeful, inclusive, and unifying leadership to avert deeper fractures.
Obasanjo and Babangida, though non-partisan, are widely regarded as influential elder statesmen deeply invested in Nigeria’s unity and stability, given their historical roles in shaping the country’s political and military trajectory.
The statement reported that Hashim arrived at President Obasanjo’s residence in Abeokuta at 11:00 a.m. and departed approximately an hour later. He then travelled to Minna to meet General Babangida.
During the Minna meeting, Hashim reportedly appealed to Babangida’s historic role in preserving Nigeria’s unity, citing the sacrifices made during the civil war.
“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,” Hashim said.
He underscored that the 2027 election must prioritise national rescue, warning that continued leadership failures could threaten the country’s cohesion and stability.
Hashim was accompanied by the Chairman of the North Central Renaissance Movement, Professor Nghargbu K’tsɔ, alongside other aides.
Political analysts view these consultations as a strategic move by Dr. Hashim to position himself as a national consensus-building figure ahead of what is expected to be a pivotal 2027 presidential contest.
Emma Tochi ✔
Godwin Okafor is the Publisher & CEO of Naija247news Media Group LLC, an independent investigative news platform delivering accurate, data-driven reporting on Nigerian and global politics, economy, finance, and business. Founded in October 2010, Naija247news specializes in developmental journalism, providing timely insights and analysis to readers across Nigeria and the diaspora.
View Archive →
