Accord Party presidential candidate, Gbenga Olawepo-Hashim, has called for unity among members and stakeholders of the party following a Federal High Court judgment upholding his candidacy for the 2027 presidential election.

In a report by Vanguard, Olawepo-Hashim said the judgment should provide an opportunity for reconciliation within Accord, urging members to work together ahead of the presidential and other elections scheduled for January 16, 2027.

He expressed appreciation to the judiciary, party stakeholders and his legal team following the ruling, while calling on those involved in the dispute over the party’s presidential ticket to put their differences aside and focus on the party’s electoral objectives.

Justice Mohammed Umar of the Federal High Court in Abuja dismissed preliminary objections filed against the suit and ordered Accord to recognise Olawepo-Hashim as its presidential candidate. The court also directed that his name be uploaded to the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC.

The dispute centred on Accord’s May 30, 2026 presidential primary, where Olawepo-Hashim said he emerged as the sole aspirant and winner. He had challenged the party’s refusal to submit his name to INEC, arguing that the decision contravened the Constitution, Electoral Act 2026 and applicable electoral guidelines.

According to Vanguard, Accord maintained that the primary had been cancelled, while INEC said it did not monitor the exercise because it had received notification of the cancellation. Olawepo-Hashim, however, maintained that he had fulfilled the financial requirements for the contest, including payment of the N50 million presidential nomination fee and N7 million towards the party’s electronic membership registration programme.