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INEC will add Accord Party presidential candidate, Gbenga Olawepo-Hashim, to the final list following a Federal High Court judgement.
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The development increases the number of presidential candidates for the 2027 election from 18 to 19.
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The court ruling ends months of internal dispute over Accord’s presidential ticket and directs the party to recognise Olawepo-Hashim.
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Osun State Governor Ademola Adeleke, Accord’s only serving governor, has declared support for President Bola Tinubu’s re-election bid despite his party’s presidential candidate.
October 20, (THEWILL) – The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has cleared the way for Gbenga Olawepo-Hashim of the Accord Party to contest the 2027 presidential election, bringing the number of candidates in the race to 19.
INEC Chairman, Prof. Joash Amupitan, who disclosed this, said the commission would comply with a Federal High Court judgement recognising Olawepo-Hashim as Accord’s presidential candidate.
The development follows the October 5, 2026 judgement of the Federal High Court in Abuja, which ordered Accord Party to recognise Olawepo-Hashim as its presidential candidate and forward his name to INEC.
The judgement brought to an end months of internal wrangling over the party’s presidential ticket and paved the way for Olawepo-Hashim’s inclusion in the final list.
Amupitan said INEC would reflect the court order in its official records, increasing the number of presidential candidates from the 18 contained in the list published in September to 19.
Adeleke Backs Tinubu Despite Accord Candidacy
The development is also coming against the backdrop of the political position of Osun State Governor Ademola Adeleke, who remains the only serving governor elected on the platform of the Accord Party.
Despite the party’s decision to field Olawepo-Hashim as its presidential candidate, Adeleke has publicly aligned himself with President Bola Tinubu’s re-election bid.
Adeleke’s position presents an unusual political situation ahead of the 2027 election, with the governor of a party fielding a presidential candidate supporting the candidate of another party.
His support for Tinubu has become significant in the political calculations surrounding Osun State, where the governor controls the state’s political machinery and remains one of Accord’s most prominent elected office holders.
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Speaking on preparations for the general election, Amupitan described the 2027 polls as potentially Africa’s largest democratic exercise and one of the most complex logistical operations in the world.
He cited more than 103 million registered voters, 176,846 polling units and 774 local government areas as indications of the scale of the exercise.
The elections will cover the presidency, National Assembly, governorship and State Houses of Assembly, requiring INEC to coordinate millions of voters, electoral personnel, materials and security arrangements across the country.
Questions Over INEC Appointment
Meanwhile, human rights lawyer, Chidi Anselm Odinkalu, has questioned the reported appointment of Oluyemi Titilayo Adeyemi-Showunmi to head INEC’s Electoral Operations Department.
Odinkalu raised the issue on October 18 while reacting to a report on concerns expressed by the Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria (HURIWA) over recent redeployments within the commission.
“Oh, so @SegunShowunmi’s wife is now in charge of electoral operations in @inecnigeria? It is becoming clearer…!” Odinkalu wrote on X.
Adeyemi-Showunmi’s husband, Segun Showunmi, is a political commentator and former spokesperson for Atiku Abubakar’s 2019 presidential campaign. He has subsequently expressed support for Tinubu’s re-election bid.
Reports said Adeyemi-Showunmi was moved from her previous position as Administrative Secretary of INEC’s Lagos office to head Electoral Operations at the commission’s headquarters in Abuja.
Isah Magaji Gummi, who previously headed the department, was reportedly redeployed to the Voter Registry Department.
The Electoral Operations Department handles critical aspects of election preparation, including the planning and distribution of electoral materials, recruitment and training of ad hoc personnel, polling arrangements and coordination involving collation and returning officers.
Felix Ifijeh is a journalist with years of professional reporting experience. Known for his keen news sense, compelling storytelling and commitment to accurate, impactful reporting, he has built a reputation for turning leads into clear, engaging, and well-structured reports that resonate with readers. His work reflects deep newsroom experience and a commitment to accurate, impactful journalism.
