Olawepo-Hashim: The Presidential Dark Horse?

As the race for the 2027 presidential election gathers momentum, attention has largely focused on the familiar political heavyweights and the intrigues rocking the major parties. Yet, away from the headlines, one aspirant Gbenga Olawepo-Hashim is quietly positioning himself as a potential surprise contender, writes Chuks Okocha

While Nigeria’s major political parties have been consumed by internal crises, defections and leadership tussles ahead of the 2027 general election, one presidential hopeful quietly pursued his ambition away from public attention. Unlike many politicians eager to announce their platforms at the slightest opportunity, Gbenga Olawepo-Hashim chose silence, keeping even his closest political associates guessing about the party on whose platform he intended to seek the presidency.

Even during an appearance on ARISE News, the anchor, Charles Aniagolu repeatedly pressed him to disclose the political party under which he planned to contest the 2027 presidential election. Olawepo-Hashim politely declined, insisting that the time was not yet right.

His explanation later was simple. According to him, the internal crises that engulfed the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the African Democratic Congress (ADC) convinced him that premature disclosure of his political plans could expose his preferred platform to similar pressures.

“I knew what was happening within the political parties,” he said. “I joined my new party last year but deliberately kept it secret because I believed that once it became public, the same forces destabilising other parties could shift attention to it.”

When he eventually unveiled the Accord Party as his chosen platform, fresh disputes reportedly emerged within the party over its presidential primary.

Olawepo-Hashim insists he legitimately emerged as the party’s presidential candidate and argues that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) monitored the primary election. The ensuing dispute is now before the courts, where he says he is confident the facts will prevail.

For many political observers, this sequence of events appears to reinforce his earlier decision to maintain secrecy until he considered the timing appropriate.

Olawepo-Hashim’s political journey has always defied easy categorisation. A prince from the Yauri Emirate in Kebbi State with maternal Yoruba heritage, he embodies a rare blend of Nigeria’s northern and southern identities. Long before entering mainstream politics, he built his reputation as a student activist during military rule.

As a student leader, he was detained under the notorious Decree 2 during the administration of General Ibrahim Babangida, an experience that helped shape his democratic convictions and political philosophy.

Following the return to democratic rule in 1999, Olawepo-Hashim became one of the pioneer Deputy National Publicity Secretaries of the PDP. He played an active role in constitutional reforms within the party, particularly during debates over the tenure of National Working Committee members. Although the reforms eventually extended the tenure of party officers, he reportedly argued that those who initiated the amendment should not personally benefit from it—a position many party faithful still recall as an uncommon display of political restraint.

Despite his long involvement in politics, Olawepo-Hashim has often remained outside Nigeria’s mainstream presidential calculations. He contested the 2019 presidential election but failed to make a significant electoral breakthrough. Yet, history is replete with politicians who emerged from relative obscurity to become formidable contenders when political circumstances shifted.

The unfolding dynamics ahead of the 2027 presidential election have prompted some observers to revisit his prospects.

If the present alignments remain unchanged, several leading opposition presidential candidates are from Southern Nigeria. Peter Obi is expected to fly the flag of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), Governor Seyi Makinde is contesting on the platform of the Allied Peoples Movement (APM), while Senator Sandy Onor is the PDP’s presidential candidate. President Bola Tinubu is seeking re-election for the ruling APC.

Among the major opposition figures from Northern Nigeria are former Vice President Atiku Abubakar of the ADC and Olawepo-Hashim of the Accord Party.

Political calculations, however, remain fluid. Ongoing litigation surrounding party nominations and candidate recognition could alter the electoral landscape significantly before the election. Any judicial decision affecting the eligibility of major contenders would inevitably reshape political alignments and voter calculations across the country.

Should such circumstances arise, some analysts believe Olawepo-Hashim could find himself occupying political space that few presently anticipate.

That possibility explains why he continues to be described as a “dark horse” in the presidential race—not because he lacks experience, but because his prospects may depend less on conventional political arithmetic than on how events evolve in the months ahead.

Beyond politics, Olawepo-Hashim has established himself in business, particularly within the global energy sector, where he has built an international profile. Whether that experience translates into electoral success remains uncertain. Yet, in a political season defined by shifting alliances, courtroom battles and unexpected developments, dismissing any serious contender may prove premature.

As history has often demonstrated, today’s outsider can become tomorrow’s frontrunner. Whether Gbenga Olawepo-Hashim ultimately fits that description is a question that only the 2027 presidential election—and the political events leading to it—can answer.