Court orders INEC to recognise Olawepo-Hashim as Accord’s 2027 presidential candidate

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

Justice Mohammed Umar gave the order on Monday, ruling that the party violated Section 86 of the Electoral Act 2026 by failing to submit Olawepo-Hashim’s name to INEC after he emerged as the sole aspirant at its May 30 presidential primary.

The court also directed Accord to recognise Olawepo-Hashim as its candidate and forward his name to INEC for uploading on the commission’s nomination portal.

The ruling followed a suit filed by Olawepo-Hashim after the party refused to submit his name to INEC. He argued that he had won the May 30 primary unopposed and that the party was legally required to forward his details to the electoral commission.

The court rejected Accord’s claim that no presidential primary was conducted. Justice Umar pointed to evidence that Olawepo-Hashim paid N50 million for the expression of interest and nomination forms, which the party accepted.

Olawepo-Hashim had also told the court that he was a registered and financially active member of Accord. He said he contributed N7 million to the party’s electronic membership registration and paid N50 million for the presidential nomination process.

However, Accord’s national chairman, Maxwell Mgbudem, had previously denied that Olawepo-Hashim was the party’s presidential candidate.

Mgbudem said the party did not conduct a presidential primary because no aspirant completed the purchase and screening process within the approved timetable. He also said Olawepo-Hashim’s payments were made after the deadline and that the party instructed its bank to return the money.

Accord had maintained that the purported primary was not authorised by its national leadership and that Olawepo-Hashim could not automatically become the party’s candidate simply because he was the only aspirant.

The court’s judgment now directs the party and INEC to recognise Olawepo-Hashim as Accord’s candidate for the 2027 presidential election.