RismadarVoice Reporters
October 5, 2026
The Federal High Court in Abuja has ordered the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, to recognise and upload the name of Dr Gbenga Olawepo-Hashim as the Accord Party’s presidential candidate for the 2027 general election.
Justice Mohammed Umar delivered the judgment on Monday, holding that Olawepo-Hashim was validly nominated and directing the Accord Party to recognise him as its presidential flag bearer.
The court held that the party’s refusal to forward his name to INEC after the disputed May 30, 2026 presidential primary violated Section 86 of the Electoral Act 2026.
Olawepo-Hashim had approached the court in suit FHC/ABJ/CS/1263/2026, seeking an order compelling Accord to submit his name to INEC and directing the electoral commission to recognise him as the party’s candidate.
During the proceedings, Olawepo-Hashim maintained that he was a registered and financially active member of Accord and had paid ₦50 million for the party’s expression of interest and nomination forms.
He said he emerged as the sole aspirant and winner of the May 30 presidential primary and argued that the party was legally obligated to submit his name to INEC.
Accord disputed his account, maintaining that it had cancelled its scheduled presidential primary after no aspirant completed the required nomination process within its stipulated timetable.
The party had also argued that Olawepo-Hashim’s payments were made after the relevant deadline and that the exercise from which he claimed to have emerged was not conducted by its national leadership.
INEC similarly told the court that it did not monitor the primary because it had been informed by the party that the exercise had been cancelled.
Olawepo-Hashim challenged documents relied upon by the defendants, including the letter said to have cancelled the primary.
His counsel, Henry Akunebu, SAN, argued that political parties were required to comply with the Electoral Act, their constitutions and applicable electoral guidelines in selecting candidates.
In its judgment, the court rejected the defendants’ position and held that the evidence supported Olawepo-Hashim’s claim to the party’s presidential ticket.
Justice Umar consequently directed Accord to forward his name to INEC and ordered the electoral commission to recognise and upload him as the party’s candidate for the 2027 presidential election.
The ruling resolves the case at the Federal High Court level, subject to any appeal that may be filed by the affected parties.
