Funmi Olawepo-Hashim, the estranged wife of former presidential candidate Gbenga Olawepo-Hashim, has strongly denied claims that she is being sponsored by the All Progressives Congress (APC) to attack her ex-husband.
In a statement on Monday, Funmi described the accusation as “reckless, baseless, and a desperate attempt” by Olawepo-Hashim to deflect attention from his alleged neglect of their twin children, who are based in the United Kingdom.
The dispute between the former couple became public last week when Funmi accused the politician of failing to pay school fees and provide upkeep for their children. She claimed Olawepo-Hashim had not spoken to or cared for the children in nine years, since their separation in 2017.
Citing a judgment by Justice Gladys Olotu of the Federal High Court, Abuja, she also noted that Olawepo-Hashim and his company were ordered to pay ₦300 million in damages over a breach of corporate governance, suggesting a pattern of disregard for responsibilities.
In his reaction, Olawepo-Hashim alleged that elements within the ruling APC were using his ex-wife to launch a smear campaign against him in a bid to damage his image ahead of the 2027 general elections.
He claimed the allegations were politically motivated and part of an orchestrated attempt to derail his political future.
But Funmi dismissed the claim, saying her concerns are strictly about the well-being of their children and not political gamesmanship. She said no political party or group had any influence on her actions.
“Olawepo-Hashim’s claim that the APC is using me to frustrate his political ambition is not only false but also a deliberate distraction from the real issue — his total neglect of his children,” she said.
She questioned whether the APC was responsible for the choices her ex-husband had made as a father.
“Was it any political party or individual that directed him to abandon his duties as a father for over nine years?” she asked.
“Was it the APC that stopped him from paying his children’s school fees or providing for their upkeep?”
Funmi also dismissed other allegations made by Olawepo-Hashim, including a claim that she attempted to frame him up using the UK Government and Nigeria’s National Intelligence Agency (NIA).
“These were his personal choices, and he alone must take full responsibility for them,” she insisted.
“Trying to drag politics into a private matter concerning child welfare is irresponsible and shows how far he is willing to go to avoid accountability.”
She further urged Olawepo-Hashim to focus on making amends and being present in the lives of their children rather than issuing politically motivated statements to cover up what she described as his “long-standing pattern of parental and financial neglect.”
The public dispute between the former couple has stirred reactions online, with many Nigerians expressing concern about the welfare of the children involved and the use of political narratives in private family matters.
While Olawepo-Hashim has not declared his intention to contest in the 2027 elections, his recent political commentary has kept him in the public eye. His claim that the APC is behind the allegations may be an attempt to protect his political reputation, but it has only added fuel to the controversy.
