Court orders INEC to recognise Olawepo-Hashim as Accord’s 2027 presidential candidate
Court Orders INEC to Recognize Gbenga Olawepo-Hashim as Accord Party’s Presidential Candidate
The Federal High Court in Abuja has mandated the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to acknowledge Gbenga Olawepo-Hashim as the presidential candidate of the Accord Party for the 2027 elections.
Justice Mohammed Umar issued the ruling on Monday, stating that the Accord Party violated Section 86 of the Electoral Act of 2026 by failing to submit Olawepo-Hashim’s name to INEC after he emerged as the sole aspirant during the party’s presidential primary on May 30.
The court directed the Accord Party to officially recognize Olawepo-Hashim as its candidate and to provide his name to INEC for inclusion on the commission’s nomination portal.
Olawepo-Hashim petitioned the court after the party declined to send his name to INEC. He argued that he won the primary unopposed, asserting that the party was obligated to submit his information to the electoral body.
In its decision, the court dismissed Accord’s assertion that no presidential primary had taken place. Justice Umar noted evidence that Olawepo-Hashim had paid 50 million naira for the required nomination and expression of interest forms, which the party accepted.
In his testimony, Olawepo-Hashim affirmed his status as a registered and financially active member of Accord, stating that he contributed 7 million naira to the party’s electronic membership registration and paid the full amount for his presidential nomination.
However, Accord’s national chairman, Maxwell Mgbudem, had previously contested Olawepo-Hashim’s candidacy, claiming the party did not conduct a presidential primary because no aspirants completed the purchase and screening process within the designated timeframe. Mgbudem further stated that Olawepo-Hashim’s payments were made after the established deadline, prompting the party to instruct its bank to return the funds.
Accord maintained that the alleged primary lacked authorization from its national leadership and argued that Olawepo-Hashim could not become the party’s candidate solely by virtue of being the only aspirant.
The court’s ruling now requires both the Accord Party and INEC to recognize Olawepo-Hashim as the official candidate for the upcoming presidential election.
