Reported by: Ijeoma G | Edited by: Oravbiere Osayomore Promise.
The Federal High Court in Abuja has ordered the Accord Party to recognise Dr Gbenga Olawepo-Hashim as its presidential candidate for the 2027 general election and ensure that his name is submitted to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
Justice Mohammed Umar gave the order on Monday, October 5, 2026, while delivering judgment in a suit filed by Olawepo-Hashim over the party’s refusal to recognise him as its presidential candidate.
The court also directed that Olawepo-Hashim’s name be immediately uploaded to the INEC portal as the Accord Party’s candidate for the 2027 presidential election.
Olawepo-Hashim had approached the Federal High Court seeking an order compelling Accord to recognise him as its duly nominated presidential candidate and forward his name to INEC.
He had maintained that he emerged as the sole aspirant and winner of the party’s presidential primary held on May 30, 2026.
In its judgment, the court held that the primary which produced Olawepo-Hashim was lawfully conducted.
Justice Umar also rejected the purported cancellation of the primary, holding that the alleged cancellation was of no effect because it was not properly communicated.
The court consequently affirmed Olawepo-Hashim as the lawful presidential candidate of the Accord Party and directed that his name be submitted to INEC for the 2027 election.
The legal dispute followed the party’s failure to forward Olawepo-Hashim’s name to INEC after the May 30 primary.
In July, Olawepo-Hashim had instituted the suit against Accord and INEC, asking the court to compel the party to recognise him and transmit his name to the electoral commission.
His legal team argued that the party’s refusal to submit his name breached provisions of the Electoral Act and the party’s nomination guidelines.
The development became more significant in September after Olawepo-Hashim’s name was excluded from the list of presidential candidates published by INEC.
At the time, he insisted that his exclusion did not extinguish his candidacy, arguing that the matter was already before the court.
He had said that he remained the duly nominated candidate of Accord and expressed confidence that the judiciary would resolve the dispute.
Monday’s ruling now places the court’s position on the party’s presidential ticket on record, with the Accord Party and INEC directed to recognise Olawepo-Hashim in connection with the 2027 presidential election.
The judgment is also a significant development for Olawepo-Hashim, who has been campaigning as the Accord Party’s presidential candidate despite the dispute over the validity of the party’s primary and the subsequent failure to include his name on INEC’s earlier list.
Following the judgment, reports said Olawepo-Hashim called for reconciliation within the Accord Party and urged members to unite ahead of the 2027 election.
The case was filed as Suit No. FHC/ABJ/CS/1268/2026, with Olawepo-Hashim as the plaintiff and Accord and INEC as defendants.
The latest ruling means the party is expected to take steps to transmit the candidate’s details to the electoral commission in compliance with the court order.
The 2027 presidential election is scheduled for January 16, 2027, according to INEC’s current election information.
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