The Federal High Court sitting in Abuja, today, adjourned the substantive hearing of a suit filed by Accord Party chieftain, Dr. Gbenga Olawepo-Hashim, seeking an order compelling the party to recognise him as its presidential candidate for the 2027 general election and submit his name to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) till today.
The adjournment followed the late entry of INEC into the matter after both the electoral body and the Accord Party served fresh court processes on Hashim’s legal team shortly before yesterday’s proceedings commenced, reports Daily Independent.
Counsel to the plaintiff, Henry Akunebu, informed the court that the documents had only just been served and requested time to study and respond to them before the substantive hearing could proceed.
Justice Mohammed Umar granted the request and adjourned the matter to today.
The proceedings attracted hundreds of Accord Party members and supporters, who thronged the court premises to show solidarity with Hashim.
They surrounded him on arrival and remained at the venue throughout the hearing.
Although Hashim did not address the gathering, the large turnout underscored the depth of grassroots support for his bid to reclaim what he insists is the presidential mandate he validly secured at the party’s primary election held on May 30, 2026.
Hashim, who listed the Accord Party and INEC as the first and second defendants respectively in an Originating Summons, is asking the court to determine whether the party’s failure to upload his name to INEC’s candidate nomination portal, despite his emergence as the sole winner of the May 30 presidential primary, violates the Electoral Act 2026, the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, and INEC’s Regulations and Guidelines for Political Parties.
He is seeking a declaration that the party’s refusal to forward his name to INEC contravenes Section 86 of the Electoral Act 2026 and Clauses 28(1) and 28(2) of the electoral guidelines on candidate nomination.
Hashim is also asking the court to compel the Accord Party to upload and submit his name to INEC as its presidential candidate.
In the alternative, should the court decline to grant that relief, he is seeking an order directing the party to conduct a fresh presidential primary in which he would participate.
In an affidavit in support of the suit, Hashim described himself as a registered and financial member of the Accord Party.
He stated that he sponsored the party’s electronic membership registration drive with a contribution of ₦7 million and paid the prescribed ₦50 million nomination fee to contest the presidential primary.
He maintained that he emerged as the sole aspirant and winner of the primary election, which, according to him, was monitored by INEC officials in compliance with the Electoral Act.
Hashim further alleged that despite his victory, the party failed to submit his name to INEC and did not issue aspirants with guidelines for the conduct of the primary election as required by INEC regulations.
He said he nevertheless participated in the exercise based on assurances given by the party’s national leadership.
In his written address, Akunebu argued that political parties are legally bound to comply with the Electoral Act, their constitutions and INEC’s regulations in the nomination of candidates.
He submitted that once a valid primary election has been conducted, the law imposes a statutory obligation on the political party to submit the name of the successful candidate to INEC.
The senior advocate urged the court to uphold the principles of internal party democracy by granting all the reliefs sought by his client in the suit.
