The Federal High Court in Abuja has affirmed Dr. Gbenga Olawepo-Hashim as the presidential candidate of the Accord Party for the 2027 general election.
Delivering judgment on Monday, Justice Mohammed Umar dismissed preliminary objections filed against Hashim’s suit and rejected a purported letter relied upon to communicate the cancellation of the party’s presidential primary to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
The court ordered the Accord Party to upload Hashim’s name to INEC as its presidential candidate, effectively recognising his emergence from the party’s presidential primary held on May 30, 2026.
Hashim had approached the court seeking recognition as the duly nominated candidate, contending that he was the sole aspirant and winner of the May 30 primary.
His case was argued by Henry Akunebu, SAN, who urged the court to compel the party to recognise Hashim and forward his name to INEC.
Akunebu challenged the validity of documents relied upon to dispute Hashim’s emergence, particularly a purported letter notifying INEC of the cancellation of the primary, arguing that the letter lacked the party’s official stamp and imprimatur and questioning the circumstances of its receipt by INEC.
Counsel to the Accord Party, T.W. Olusesi, maintained that the presidential primary had been cancelled and that no valid primary produced Hashim as candidate.
Similarly, INEC’s counsel, D.J. Gusen, argued that the commission did not monitor the purported primary because it had received notification that the exercise had been cancelled.
Justice Umar, however, dismissed the preliminary objections and discountenanced the purported cancellation letter, thereby affirming the outcome of the May 30 primary.
The judgment brings to an end months of legal tussle over the Accord Party presidential ticket, following the party’s failure to submit Hashim’s name to INEC despite his claim of victory at the primary.
Hashim had argued that the party’s refusal to upload his name violated the Constitution, the Electoral Act and relevant INEC regulations and guidelines on nomination of candidates.
In his originating summons, he asked the court to determine whether the party could validly refuse to upload his name after he emerged winner of the primary. In the alternative, he sought an order directing the party to conduct a fresh presidential primary in which he would be allowed to participate.
He maintained that he is a registered and financially compliant member of the party, having paid the prescribed N50 million presidential nomination fee and contributed N7 million towards the party’s electronic membership registration programme, adding that INEC officials monitored the May 30 primary.
Reacting to the judgment, Hashim dedicated the victory to God and called for reconciliation within the party.
“I give God the glory for this victory. I dedicate the victory also to all stakeholders and our dear party members and my hardworking legal team. We are grateful to the judiciary that has done justice on this matter,” he said.
“We won’t leave anybody behind. We should all come together and work for the party’s victory in the January 16, 2027 presidential election and all other elections. The march to a new Nigeria has started,” he added.
