The Federal High Court in Abuja has overruled the position of the Accord Party and affirmed Gbenga Olawepo-Hashim as the party’s presidential candidate for the 2027 general election.
Justice Mohammed Umar, in a judgement delivered on Monday, held that there was sufficient evidence before the court showing that Olawepo-Hashim emerged as the party’s sole presidential candidate at a primary election conducted on May 30, 2026.
The judgement came against the backdrop of a dispute between Olawepo-Hashim and the party over the validity of the purported presidential primary and his status as Accord’s candidate for the 2027 presidential election.
Justice Umar consequently ordered Accord Party to immediately recognise Olawepo-Hashim as its sole presidential candidate and forward his name to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to enable the electoral body to upload his details on its portal as required.
The judge also faulted the party’s failure to recognise Olawepo-Hashim after collecting N50 million from him as payment for the expression of interest and nomination forms.
According to the court, having collected the prescribed fees from the plaintiff, it was wrong for the party to subsequently refuse to recognise him as the candidate produced by the primary process and transmit his name to INEC.
Represented by his lawyer, Henry Akunaebu, SAN, Olawepo-Hashim had approached the Federal High Court in a suit marked FHC/ABJ/CS/1268/2026, in which he sued Accord Party and INEC as the first and second defendants, respectively.
In the suit, Olawepo-Hashim asked the court to compel Accord to recognise him as its validly nominated presidential candidate and forward his name to INEC ahead of the 2027 presidential election.
The dispute followed the May 30 presidential primary, at which Olawepo-Hashim maintained that he emerged as the party’s sole candidate.
Accord, however, subsequently disputed his claim and refused to recognise him as its presidential candidate, creating a legal battle over the validity of the primary and the party’s obligation to transmit his name to INEC.
The court, after considering the evidence and arguments presented by the parties, found in favour of Olawepo-Hashim.
Justice Umar’s ruling therefore places a direct obligation on Accord to recognise him and take the necessary steps to formalise his candidacy before the electoral commission.
