Court Declares Olawepo-Hashim Accord Party’s 2027 Presidential Candidate

The Federal High Court in Abuja has ordered the Accord Party and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to recognise Gbenga Olawepo-Hashim as the party’s presidential candidate for the 2027 general election.

Justice Mohammed Garba Umar, in a judgment delivered in Abuja, held that the party violated Section 86 of the Electoral Act 2026 by refusing to submit Olawepo-Hashim’s name to INEC after he emerged as the sole candidate at the party’s May 30 presidential primary.

The court directed Accord Party to submit the plaintiff’s name to the electoral commission, while INEC was ordered to accept and recognise him as the party’s presidential candidate.

Justice Umar rejected the party’s claim that it did not conduct a presidential primary, noting that evidence before the court showed that Olawepo-Hashim paid N50 million for the expression of interest and nomination forms and that the party accepted the payment.

The judge further held that several of the claims made by Accord Party concerning the disputed primary were contradictory and could not stand in the face of the law.

Olawepo-Hashim had approached the court after the party allegedly refused to upload his name to INEC’s nomination portal despite his emergence as the sole aspirant at the May 30 primary.

His counsel, Henry Akunebu (SAN), urged the court to compel the party to submit his name and direct INEC to recognise his nomination.

Akunebu also challenged documents tendered by Accord Party and INEC, particularly a letter purportedly cancelling the presidential primary.

The senior lawyer argued that the letter lacked the party’s official stamp and was addressed to the INEC Chairman but allegedly received by an unidentified national commissioner.

He contended that political parties were bound by the Electoral Act, their constitutions and INEC guidelines in the nomination of candidates, arguing that a party that conducts a valid primary has a statutory obligation to forward the winner’s name to the electoral commission.

The lawyer urged the court to reject the disputed documents, describing them as documents allegedly fabricated during the proceedings.

In his suit, Olawepo-Hashim asked the court to determine whether Accord Party’s refusal to upload his name to INEC’s nomination portal, despite his alleged emergence as the sole winner of the May 30 presidential primary, violated the Electoral Act 2026, the Constitution and INEC’s guidelines.

He also sought a declaration that the party breached Section 86 of the Electoral Act and Clauses 28(1) and 28(2) of the INEC guidelines on candidate nomination.

Alternatively, he asked the court to order the party to conduct a fresh presidential primary in which he would participate.

In an affidavit filed in support of the case, Olawepo-Hashim described himself as a registered and financial member of Accord Party and said he funded the party’s electronic membership registration with N7 million.

He also said he paid N50 million for the presidential nomination process and emerged as the sole aspirant and winner of the May 30 primary, which he claimed was monitored by INEC officials.

He accused the party of subsequently refusing to forward his name to INEC.