Former Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) presidential candidate Dr. Gbenga Olawepo-Hashim has stepped up consultations with Nigeria’s elder statesmen ahead of the 2027 general election, holding separate meetings with ex-President Olusegun Obasanjo and former Military President General Ibrahim Babangida (retd.).
The closed-door meetings, held on Monday, form part of Hashim’s ongoing nationwide engagements with key national figures to discuss the country’s future direction.
According to a statement issued in Kaduna, Hashim assured both former leaders of his capacity to address Nigeria’s security challenges, rebuild national unity, stabilise the polity, and restore economic prosperity. He stressed the need for inclusive and unifying leadership to prevent further national fractures.
Hashim first met with Obasanjo at his Abeokuta residence around 11:00 a.m., departing about an hour later. He then travelled to Minna to meet with Babangida. During the Minna meeting, Hashim appealed to Babangida’s historic role in preserving Nigeria’s unity, referencing sacrifices made during the civil war. “If Nigeria is allowed to disintegrate today through incompetent leadership, then the sacrifices of patriots like you would have been wasted,” he said.
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The former PDP candidate was accompanied by the Chairman of the North Central Renaissance Movement, Professor Nghargbu K’tsɔ, and other aides.
Political observers see the consultations as part of Hashim’s strategy to position himself as a consensus-building figure ahead of the 2027 presidential election, widely expected to be highly consequential for Nigeria’s political landscape.