2027 ELECTION: ACCORD CHALLENGES SUIT SEEKING TO BAR ALL ITS CANDIDATES
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By: Fasasi Hammad
The Accord Party has urged the Federal High Court in Abuja to dismiss a suit seeking to disqualify all its candidates from participating in the 2027 general elections.
The party, through its counsel, Musibau Adetunbi, filed a preliminary objection challenging the competence of the suit, marked FHC/ABJ/CV/2524/2026, instituted by its National Secretary, Adebukola Ajaja.
Accord argued that the case was statute-barred, claiming it was filed outside the 14-day period allowed by law.
It also challenged the court’s jurisdiction, maintaining that the dispute relates to the nomination of candidates, which it described as an internal affair of the party.
The party further questioned Ajaja’s locus standi, arguing that she did not participate as an aspirant in the primary election held on May 29, 2026, and therefore lacked the legal standing to institute the action.
It also faulted the suit for failing to include the candidates whose nominations the plaintiff is seeking to nullify, describing them as necessary parties who should have been given an opportunity to defend their interests.
Another ground raised by the party was that the suit was premature because Ajaja allegedly failed to serve it with the required 21-day pre-action notice.
Beyond its preliminary objections, Accord defended the conduct of its primary election, insisting that the exercise complied with relevant laws and electoral guidelines.
The party maintained that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) recognised the outcome of the primaries and that the names of successful candidates were submitted to the commission in the prescribed format.
It also rejected Ajaja’s argument that the submission was invalid because she did not sign the forwarding letter to INEC.
Accord argued that its National Chairman and National Organising Secretary were authorised to sign and submit the candidates’ list in the absence of the National Secretary, citing Article 18 of its constitution and Regulations 25(3) and 28(2) of INEC’s guidelines.
“The national executives of the party expressly authorised the fourth defendant to co-sign with the 3rd defendant. No wrong has been done,” the party argued.
It also cited the Supreme Court’s decision in Jegede v. INEC, maintaining that the submission would remain valid even if only the National Chairman had signed the forwarding letter.
“The plaintiff’s case is still bound to fail because the signature of the national chairman suffices on the authority of Jegede v. INEC,” it added.
In a counter-affidavit, the party’s National Chairman, Maxwell Mgbudem, accused Ajaja of neglecting her responsibilities, alleging that she had stopped attending meetings of the National Working Committee (NWC).
Mgbudem claimed that Ajaja was absent from the three most recent consecutive NWC meetings, adding that the committee had authorised him and Ibe Kenechukwu ThankGod, the National Organising Secretary, to jointly sign the forwarding letter for the party’s successful candidates.
He said the decision was reached at an NWC meeting held on May 24, 2026, under his leadership.
According to Mgbudem, he and ThankGod subsequently submitted the names of successful candidates electronically to INEC after the May 29 primaries, except for the presidential election, for which the party did not conduct a primary.
The chairman also maintained that, as the party’s chief executive, he had the authority under Article 18 of its constitution to sign documents on its behalf and delegate responsibilities to other party officials.
He explained that the electronic submission of INEC forms did not require physical signatures on every document, considering the large number of political parties and candidates participating in the 2027 elections.
Mgbudem also questioned Ajaja’s management of party funds and accused her of providing inaccurate information about the number of court cases arising from the primaries.
He said at least 16 cases had been filed in connection with the exercise.
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