Presidential aspirant of the Accord Party, Dr. Gbenga Olawepo-Hashim, has filed a suit at the Federal High Court in Abuja seeking an order compelling the party to recognise him as its presidential candidate for the 2027 general election.
Hashim also wants the court to direct the Accord Party to forward his name to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) as its duly nominated candidate.
The suit, filed against the Accord Party and INEC, came as hundreds of his supporters converged in the Federal High Court in a show of solidarity, creating heavy human and vehicular traffic around the court premises.
In the originating summons, Hashim asked the court to determine whether the party’s alleged refusal to upload his name to INEC’s nomination portal, despite emerging as the sole winner of its presidential primary held on May 30, 2026, contravenes the Electoral Act 2026, the Constitution and INEC’s Regulations and Guidelines for Political Parties.
He is seeking a declaration that the party’s action amounts to a violation of Section 86 of the Electoral Act 2026 and relevant provisions of INEC’s guidelines governing the nomination of candidates.
Alternatively, Hashim urged the court to order the conduct of a fresh presidential primary in which he would be allowed to participate if it declines to compel the party to submit his name to INEC.
In an affidavit supporting the suit, the presidential hopeful stated that he is a registered and financial member of the Accord Party, adding that he sponsored the party’s electronic membership registration with a contribution of ₦7 million.
He further claimed to have paid the prescribed ₦50 million nomination fee, emerged as the sole aspirant and winner of the party’s presidential primary, which he said was monitored by INEC officials.
Hashim alleged that despite his emergence, the party failed to submit his name to the electoral commission and also did not provide aspirants with guidelines for the conduct of the primary as required by INEC regulations.
His counsel, Chief Henry Akunebu (SAN), argued that political parties are legally bound to comply with the Electoral Act, their constitutions and INEC guidelines, insisting that a validly nominated candidate cannot be arbitrarily denied the party’s ticket.
At the proceedings, counsel to INEC sought an adjournment to enable the commission respond to the suit, an application supported by counsel to the Accord Party but opposed by Hashim’s lawyer.
The presiding judge granted the request and adjourned the matter until July 14, 2026, for hearing.