Former presidential candidate Gbenga Olawepo-Hashim has declared his intention to contest the 2027 presidential election on the Accord Party platform, claiming his movement has already mobilized over one million supporters into the party nationwide.
In a statement issued by his media office on Tuesday, Olawepo-Hashim said his structure had commenced extensive grassroots mobilization across all geopolitical zones, describing the effort as the foundation of a formidable political movement capable of providing Nigerians with a genuine alternative to the dominance of the ruling All Progressives Congress and the opposition Peoples Democratic Party.
The declaration was accompanied by a sharp rebuke directed at an unnamed state governor who had reportedly suggested that the Accord Party would not be fielding a presidential candidate in 2027, a comment widely interpreted as an endorsement of President Tinubu‘s re-election bid. Olawepo-Hashim dismissed the remark as a gross overreach, insisting that no individual holds the authority to determine who emerges as Nigeria’s next president.
“The presidency of Nigeria is too big for anyone to allocate. It is in the hands of God and the Nigerian people,” he said, adding that the governor’s comments were driven by fear and political survival instincts rather than any legitimate political authority.
His campaign platform centers on competence, national unity, economic revival, and inclusive development themes that carry significant weight in a country grappling with rising inflation, widespread insecurity, and deepening governance concerns.
He cautioned those attempting to predetermine the 2027 outcome, warning that “when power changes hands, those who think they can control it will be shocked and humbled.”
Olawepo-Hashim, who contested the 2019 presidential election under the now-defunct Peoples Trust, has remained a consistent voice in Nigeria’s opposition politics, advocating restructuring, economic reforms, and national unity. He has also been involved in coalition discussions among opposition figures in the build-up to 2027.
With political consultations, alignments, and opposition movements gathering momentum across the country, his formal declaration marks one of the earliest and most assertive entries into what promises to be a highly competitive presidential race and a clear signal that the 2027 contest is already well and truly underway.
WHAT YOU SHOULD KNOW
Gbenga Olawepo-Hashim‘s early declaration to contest the 2027 Nigerian presidential election under the Accord Party, backed by a claimed one million mobilized supporters, is the headline fact here.
His sharpest message was not about his own ambitions but about accountability: that the Nigerian presidency is not a prize to be allocated by governors or party kingmakers but a mandate that belongs solely to the people.
In a political climate where opposition voices are increasingly being absorbed or silenced, Olawepo-Hashim’s move signals that the 2027 race will not go uncontested and that at least one candidate is willing to say loudly what others are afraid to whisper.
