The Abuja Division of the Federal High Court on Monday affirmed Gbenga Olawepo-Hashim as the Accord Party’s candidate in the 2027 presidential election.
Justice Mohammed Umar held that contrary to the political party’s claim, evidence showed that Mr Olawepo-Hashim emerged as its sole presidential candidate after a primary poll it conducted on May 30.
Mr Umar therefore ordered the Accord Party to immediately recognise Mr Olawepo-Hashim as its sole candidate and forward his name to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to enable the commission to upload his name on its portal as required.
The judge held that it was wrong for the party to fail to recognise the plaintiff as its presidential candidate and forward his name to INEC after the party collected N50 million from him as the cost of nomination and expression of interest forms.
Mr 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 the 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 a validly nominated candidate for the forthcoming presidential poll, among others.