Court Fixes July 15 to Hear Olawepo-Hashim’s Suit Against Accord Party, INEC

The Federal High Court in Abuja has fixed July 15, 2026, for 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 forward his name to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

The adjournment followed the late filing of fresh court processes by both Accord Party and INEC shortly before Tuesday’s proceedings.

Counsel to the plaintiff, Henry Akunebu, SAN, informed the court that the documents had only just been served on his legal team and requested time to study and respond to them before the substantive hearing.

Justice Mohammed Umar granted the application and adjourned the matter to Wednesday, July 15.

The court proceedings attracted hundreds of Accord Party members and supporters, who accompanied Olawepo-Hashim to the court and remained at the premises throughout the hearing.

In the suit, Olawepo-Hashim, who listed Accord Party and INEC as the first and second defendants, is asking the court to determine whether the party’s failure to upload his name to INEC’s candidate nomination portal, despite emerging as the sole winner of the party’s presidential primary held on May 30, violated the Electoral Act 2026, the Constitution and INEC’s guidelines.

He is seeking a declaration that the party’s refusal to submit his name contravenes Section 86 of the Electoral Act 2026 and Clauses 28(1) and (2) of INEC’s Guidelines for the Nomination of Candidates by Political Parties.

The plaintiff is also asking the court to compel the Accord Party to upload and submit his name to INEC as its presidential candidate for the 2027 election.

In the alternative, he urged the court to order the party to conduct a fresh presidential primary in which he would be allowed to participate if it declines to compel the submission of his name.

In an affidavit supporting the suit, Olawepo-Hashim described himself as a registered and financially up-to-date member of the Accord Party.

He stated that he sponsored the party’s electronic membership registration drive with a payment of N7 million and also paid the prescribed N50 million nomination fee to contest the presidential primary.

According to him, he emerged as the sole aspirant and winner of the primary election, which he said was monitored by INEC officials in compliance with the Electoral Act.

He alleged that despite his emergence, the party failed to submit his name to INEC and did not issue aspirants with the required guidelines for the primary, as stipulated by the electoral commission, although he proceeded based on assurances allegedly 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 guidelines in the nomination of candidates.

He urged the court to uphold internal party democracy by granting all the reliefs sought by his client.