2027: Court orders INEC to upload Olawepo-Hashim’s name as Accord Party presidential candidate

The Federal High Court sitting in Abuja on Monday affirmed Gbenga Olawepo-Hashim as Accord Party presidential candidate in the 2027 presidential election.

Delivering judgement, Justice Mohammed Umar held that contrary to Accord Party’s claim, there was evidence that Olawepo-Hashim emerged the party’s sole presidential candidate after a primary poll it conducted on May 30, 2026.

Justice Umar therefore ordered Accord party to immediately recognise Olawepo-Hashim as its sole presidential candidate for the 2027 election and forward his name to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to enable the commission upload his name on its portal as required.

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The judge held that it was wrong for the party to have failed to recognise the plaintiff as its presidential candidate and forward his name to INEC after the party collected N50 million from him as cost of nomination and expression of interest forms.

Olawepo-Hashim had, in the suit marked: FHC/ABJ/CS/1268/2026 and filed by his lawyer, Henry Akunaebu (SAN), sued Accord and INEC as first and second defendants.

The plaintiff, in the suit, prayed the court to compel his party to forward his name to the electoral umpire as validly nominated candidate for the 2027 presidential election, among others.