Court reserves judgment in Olawepo-Hashim’s suit against Accord Party, INEC

The Federal High Court in Abuja has reserved judgment in a suit filed by Dr Gbenga Olawepo-Hashim seeking to compel the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to recognise him as the Accord Party’s presidential candidate for the 2027 election.

Justice Mohammed Umar fixed the matter for judgment on Wednesday after all parties adopted their final written addresses.

He said the date for the judgment would be communicated to the parties.

Olawepo-Hashim, through his lawyer, Henry Akunebu, SAN, asked the court to direct the Accord Party to immediately submit his name to INEC as its presidential candidate.

He argued that documents presented by the party and INEC, including a letter said to have cancelled the primary election that produced him, should not be relied upon by the court.

According to him, the documents lacked the party’s official stamp and contained other irregularities, which he said raised doubts about their authenticity.

The plaintiff also challenged the party’s computer-generated membership register tendered before the court, insisting that it did not meet the legal requirements for admissibility.

He maintained that the Accord Party never cancelled the presidential primary election and urged the court to compel the party to forward his name to INEC.

However, the Accord Party asked the court to dismiss the suit, arguing that the presidential primary had been validly cancelled because no aspirant purchased nomination forms or participated in the exercise.

The party also maintained that INEC did not monitor the primary because it had already been cancelled.

INEC equally urged the court to dismiss the suit, stating that it did not monitor the alleged primary election because it had been cancelled by the party.

In the suit, Olawepo-Hashim is seeking a declaration that the party’s refusal to submit his name to INEC violated the Electoral Act 2026, the Constitution and INEC’s guidelines.

He is also asking the court, in the alternative, to order the Accord Party to conduct a fresh presidential primary in which he would be allowed to participate if his request to be recognised as the party’s candidate is declined.

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