Former presidential candidate, Dr. Gbenga Olawepo-Hashim, has accused elements within the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) of sponsoring renewed allegations against him through his estranged wife, describing it as part of a broader smear campaign to discredit him ahead of the 2027 general elections.
In a detailed statement on Tuesday, Olawepo-Hashim alleged that his ex-wife’s recent claims in the media were orchestrated by remnants of the same political operatives who attempted to block his 2019 presidential bid.
According to him, “She was recruited by elements around Buhari in the UK High Commission and the Nigerian Intelligence Agency (NIA). Apart from other sinister actions, they tried to frame me for funding terrorism. I was questioned in the UK but released when no evidence was found. She was the one who gave the false information to the UK authorities.”
The politician said that the same group seized two of his oil assets at the time, forcing him into a prolonged legal battle. He recalled that in November 2020, the Federal High Court in Abuja, presided over by Justice Taiwo Taiwo, restored the Hely Creek and Abigborodo marginal oil fields to his company, Transnational Energy Limited (TEL), after declaring the government’s revocation of the fields illegal. The court also awarded $20 million in damages against the federal agencies involved.
Olawepo-Hashim linked his ex-wife’s actions to that broader political plot, alleging that she was “recruited by the then Deputy Director-General of the NIA, Air Force General Bello, who is her in-law.”
He said she obtained an undefended divorce judgment in England awarding her £18 million (about ₦36 billion), but that the ruling was later nullified by a Nigerian court since their marriage was contracted under Nigerian law.
“APC handlers funded her with millions of dollars, nominating her for various foreign grants for female entrepreneurs. My lawyers have written to her several times requesting account details for the children’s upkeep, but she refused because she wants £18 million, not money for their welfare,” he stated.
The former presidential hopeful accused his ex-wife of denying his family access to their children, describing her as “a professional blackmailer and social climber who has made plenty of money from that trade.”
He claimed that the resurgence of her allegations in the media was politically motivated, saying, “Now that the 2027 campaign season has started, the same APC team has picked her up again, pushing her story in the press.”
Olawepo-Hashim also dismissed reports of a new court order directing one of his companies to pay ₦300 million, calling it “an invention of an APC night court,” adding that his legal team had not been served any such process.
“This is an act of desperation and shows our message is biting them. Picking up stories from bitter women against opposition figures will not save the APC from imminent defeat in 2027,” he said
