Amupitan says commission will comply with court judgment as preparations continue for Nigeria’s 2027 general election
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has reportedly added Dr Gbenga Olawepo-Hashim, the Accord Party’s presidential candidate, to the list of contenders for the 2027 presidential election, following a Federal High Court judgment affirming his candidacy.
INEC Chairman, Professor Joash Amupitan, was reported to have announced the development on Thursday at an event organised by the National Orientation Agency (NOA), saying the addition of another candidate had increased the number of presidential contenders from 18 to 19.
The development follows a judgment delivered in Abuja on October 5, 2026, by Justice Mohammed Garba Umar, who directed Accord Party to recognise Olawepo-Hashim as its presidential candidate and forward his name to INEC for inclusion in its records. The court also ordered the commission to accept and recognise his nomination.
The case arose from a dispute over the party’s May 30, 2026 presidential primary. Olawepo-Hashim had approached the court after his name was not submitted to INEC, insisting that he had emerged as the party’s candidate. Accord Party had disputed the validity of the exercise, but the court ruled in Hashim’s favour.
INEC’s reported announcement marks a new stage in the dispute over Accord Party’s presidential ticket. It also places renewed attention on the commission’s responsibility to implement court decisions while ensuring that its candidate records reflect the applicable legal requirements.
The reported increase in the number of presidential candidates comes as INEC continues preparations for the 2027 general election. The commission faces the task of coordinating voting across Nigeria’s states and local government areas, with significant demands for logistics, personnel, electoral materials and voter education.
According to the information provided about Amupitan’s remarks, Nigeria has more than 103 million registered voters and 176,846 polling units across 774 local government areas. These figures illustrate the scale of the electoral exercise and the administrative challenges involved in organising a nationwide poll.
The 2027 general election will include contests for the presidency, National Assembly, state governorships and State Houses of Assembly. INEC’s preparations will therefore require coordination across multiple electoral levels and locations.
For Olawepo-Hashim, the court ruling provides a legal basis for his recognition as Accord Party’s presidential candidate. The reported addition to the candidate list would represent a further step towards implementing that decision.
However, the commission’s latest official candidate list should be consulted to confirm that the change has been formally completed. INEC had previously published a list containing 18 presidential candidates in September 2026.
As preparations for the 2027 elections continue, the handling of party nominations, compliance with judicial decisions and publication of accurate candidate information remain important aspects of the electoral process.
