The Certified True Copy (CTC) of the Federal High Court judgment affirming Dr. Gbenga Olawepo-Hashim as the Accord Party’s presidential candidate for the 2027 election has been served on the party and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), setting the stage for the next phase of the legal dispute.
Justice Mohammed Garba Umar of the Federal High Court in Abuja delivered the judgment on October 5, 2026, affirming Hashim’s emergence from the party’s presidential primary held on May 30, 2026, and directing Accord to submit his name to INEC.
The court also ordered INEC to accept and recognise Hashim as the party’s presidential candidate for the forthcoming presidential election.
The suit arose from the party’s failure to submit Hashim’s name to the electoral commission following the disputed primary. Accord Party’s counsel, T.W. Olusesi, had argued that the primary was validly cancelled, while Hashim’s counsel, Henry Akunebu (SAN), challenged the purported cancellation and questioned the validity of the documents relied upon by the party and INEC.
In resolving the dispute, Justice Umar held that the evidence before the court established that Hashim had emerged as the winner of the May 30 primary. The judge also considered evidence that Accord had received ₦50 million from Hashim for Expression of Interest and nomination forms.
The delivery of the judgment and subsequent service of its CTC on both defendants have brought the dispute to a new stage, with attention now turning to the legal and administrative steps required to give effect to the court’s orders.
However, the controversy surrounding the party’s presidential ticket is far from over. Accord Party chairman, Maxwell Mgbudem, has reportedly filed an appeal at the Court of Appeal challenging the judgment in suit number FHC/ABJ/1268/2026.
The appeal signals that the disagreement over the party’s 2027 presidential ticket may continue at the appellate level, despite Hashim’s reported call for reconciliation.
The case has also drawn attention to INEC’s role in the dispute, particularly the commission’s position on the contested primary and the documents presented in court. With the judgment now served and an appeal reportedly filed, the legal process remains central to determining the next steps in the controversy.
For now, the key issues are the effect of the Federal High Court’s orders, the response of the party and INEC, and the outcome of Mgbudem’s appeal. Further developments are expected to shape the continuing dispute over Accord Party’s presidential candidacy ahead of the 2027 general election.
