Federal High Court Reserves Judgment on Accord Party Presidential Candidate Suit
The Federal High Court in Abuja has reserved its judgment on a lawsuit filed by Accord Party leader Gbenga Olawepo Hashim. He is seeking a court order that would compel the party to officially recognize him as its presidential candidate ahead of the 2027 general elections and submit his name to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
Legal Proceedings and Arguments Presented
Justice Mohamed Umar confirmed the decision to notify the involved parties about the judgment date following the adoption of written final addresses by their respective lawyers.
Olawepo-Hashim’s Demands to the Court
Represented by his attorney, Mr. Henry Akunebu, Olawepo-Hashim urged the court to instruct the Accord Party to promptly upload his name as the presidential candidate to the INEC nomination portal. He also requested that the court require INEC to recognize and accept his nomination.
Disputing Party Documents and Primary Validity
Akunebu challenged the authenticity of documents submitted by the party and INEC, particularly questioning a letter that purportedly canceled the party’s presidential primaries. He argued that the document lacked the party’s official stamp and was addressed to the INEC chairman yet received by an unidentified national commissioner.
The Accord Party’s Response
In contrast, Mr. TW Orusesi, representing the Accord Party, requested the court dismiss Olawepo-Hashim’s case. He contended that the primary election had been validly canceled because candidates had neither purchased nomination forms nor engaged in the campaign. Orusesi maintained that INEC was not monitoring the canceled primaries.
INEC’s Position on the Cancellation
INEC’s lawyer, DJ Goossen, supported the Accord Party’s claim, informing the court that the commission had not monitored the primaries due to a notification it received via a national committee member regarding the suspension of the process. Goossen also requested the dismissal of the lawsuit.
Legal Basis of Olawepo-Hashim’s Claims
In his initial summons, Olawepo-Hashim sought the court’s determination on whether the party’s refusal to upload his name to INEC’s nomination portal, despite being declared the sole winner of the May 30 presidential primaries, constituted a violation of the Electoral Act 2026, the Constitution, and INEC’s Political Party Guidelines. He argued that this failure contradicted Section 86 of the Electoral Act and Sections 28(1) and 28(2) of the INEC Guidelines on Candidate Nomination.
The Plaintiff’s Affidavit and Allegations
In support of his suit, Olawepo-Hashim described himself as a registered financial member of the Accord Party, asserting that he funded the electronic membership registration with N7 million and paid a N50 million nomination fee for the primaries. He claimed to be the only candidate in the primary, which he alleged was monitored by INEC officials, but accused the party of neglecting to forward his name to the Electoral Commission.
Call for Upholding Intraparty Democracy
Akunebu emphasized that political parties must adhere to the provisions of the Electoral Act, the Constitution, and INEC guidelines when nominating candidates. He urged the court to safeguard the principles of intraparty democracy by granting all requests made by Olawepo-Hashim.
