COURT ASKED TO DISQUALIFY ALL ACCORD PARTY CANDIDATES OVER 2027 ELECTIONS NOMINATION DISPUTE
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By: Muftau Fatimo
A member of the Accord Party, Adebukola Ajaja, has approached the Federal High Court in Abuja, seeking the disqualification of all candidates presented by the party for the 2027 general elections over alleged violations of electoral laws and the party’s constitution.
Ajaja, who is the National Secretary of the party, filed the suit, marked FHC/ABJ/CS/2524/2026, through her lawyer, Edmund Biriomoni, on October 21, 2026.
According to court filings obtained by our correspondent on Friday, the applicant alleged that her responsibilities as National Secretary were usurped by the party’s National Chairman, Maxwell Mgbudem, and National Organising Secretary, ThankGod Kenechukwu, in the submission of the party’s candidates’ list to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
The suit lists INEC as the first respondent, Accord Party as the second respondent, Mgbudem as the third respondent, and Kenechukwu as the fourth respondent.
Among the reliefs sought, Ajaja is asking the court to declare that the Accord Party constitution is supreme and binding on all members and organs of the party, in accordance with Article 2 of the constitution.
She is also seeking a declaration that, under Sections 29(1) and (2), and 82(1) and (6) of the Electoral Act, 2026, alongside relevant provisions of INEC’s Regulations and Guidelines for Political Parties, 2026, only a party’s National Chairman and National Secretary are authorised to jointly sign and submit candidates’ nomination documents to the electoral commission.
The applicant specifically challenged letters titled “Submission of Accord Party Candidates EC9 Series Forms for 2027 General Election,” dated June 30, July 19 and August 5, 2026, as well as Forms EC9(A), EC9(B), EC9(C), EC9(D) and EC9(E), which she alleged were jointly signed and submitted by Mgbudem and Kenechukwu.
Ajaja argued that the National Chairman and National Organising Secretary lacked the legal authority to jointly sign and submit the documents without the involvement of the National Secretary, as required by the relevant electoral provisions and INEC guidelines.
She urged the court to declare the submissions invalid, null and void on the grounds of alleged non-compliance with the Electoral Act and the electoral commission’s regulations.
In addition, the applicant is seeking an order of perpetual injunction setting aside and nullifying the disputed letters and nomination forms submitted to INEC.
The suit seeks to invalidate the documents on the grounds that their submission allegedly contravened Sections 29(1) and (2), and 82(1) and (6) of the Electoral Act, 2026, as well as relevant provisions of INEC’s Regulations and Guidelines for Political Parties, 2026.
The outcome of the case could affect the status of the Accord Party’s candidates for the 2027 general elections, depending on the court’s eventual decision.
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