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

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

Justice Mohammed Umar, in a judgment, held that contrary to the political party’s claim, there was evidence that Olawepo-Hashim emerged its sole presidential candidate after a primary poll it conducted on May 30.

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.

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.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that 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 1st and 2nd defendants.