Justice Mohammed Garba Umar of 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.
The judge also ordered Accord Party to submit Olawepo-Hashim’s name to INEC in accordance with Section 86 of the Electoral Act 2026, directing the electoral commission to accept and recognise the nomination.
Justice Umar gave the orders while delivering judgment in a suit filed by Olawepo-Hashim against Accord Party and INEC.
The court held that Section 86 of the Electoral Act was violated when the party failed to submit Olawepo-Hashim’s name to INEC after he allegedly emerged as the sole aspirant and winner of the party’s May 30 presidential primary.
Although Accord Party denied conducting the primary, Justice Umar rejected the claim, citing evidence that the party accepted ₦50 million from Olawepo-Hashim for the expression of interest and nomination forms.
The judge also held that several of the party’s claims concerning the disputed primary were contradictory and inconsistent with the law.
Olawepo-Hashim, through his counsel, Henry Akunebu (SAN), had asked the court to order Accord Party to immediately upload his name to INEC’s nomination portal as its presidential candidate and compel the electoral commission to recognise and accept the nomination.
Akunebu challenged the authenticity of documents tendered by the party and INEC, particularly a letter purportedly cancelling the party’s presidential primary.
He argued that the document did not bear the party’s official stamp and was addressed to the INEC chairman but received by an unnamed national commissioner.
The senior lawyer argued that political parties are bound by the Electoral Act, their constitutions and INEC guidelines in the nomination of candidates.
He maintained that a party that conducts a valid primary has a statutory obligation to submit the winner’s name to INEC.
Akunebu urged the court to discountenance the disputed exhibits, describing them as documents allegedly fabricated during the proceedings.
In his originating summons, 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 for Political Parties.
He sought a declaration that the party’s failure to submit his name breached Section 86 of the Electoral Act 2026 and Clauses 28(1) and 28(2) of INEC’s guidelines on candidate nomination.
The plaintiff also asked the court to order Accord Party to submit his name to INEC or, alternatively, direct the party to conduct a fresh presidential primary in which he would be allowed to participate.
In an affidavit filed in support of the suit, Olawepo-Hashim described himself as a registered and financial member of Accord Party.
He claimed that he contributed ₦7 million towards the party’s electronic membership registration and paid ₦50 million as the nomination fee for the presidential primary.
He maintained that he emerged as the sole aspirant and winner of a primary allegedly monitored by INEC officials, but accused the party of failing to forward his name to the electoral commission.
