A public affairs analyst and Accord Party chieftain, Light Adoko, has called on the party’s National Working Committee (NWC) to forward the name of Gbenga Olawepo-Hashim to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) as its presidential candidate for the 2027 general election.
Adoko made the appeal in a statement issued on Wednesday, amid the lingering dispute over Olawepo-Hashim’s claim to the Accord Party’s presidential ticket.
The controversy follows the rejection of Olawepo-Hashim’s purported emergence as the party’s presidential candidate by one of the party’s national chairmen, Maxwell Mgbuden. Olawepo-Hashim, however, has dismissed the party leadership’s position and maintained that he remains the party’s presidential candidate.
The disagreement has left uncertainty over who will represent the Accord Party in the 2027 presidential election.
Commenting on the development, Adoko urged the party leadership to immediately submit Olawepo-Hashim’s name to INEC, warning against any further delay.
He further alleged that elements linked to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) were attempting to influence the party’s leadership to prevent it from fielding a presidential candidate in 2027.
According to Adoko, “A fearful establishment is trying to weaponise party machinery to deny our sole presidential candidate for the 2027 general elections, Dr. Gbenga Hashim, the presidential ticket he deserves.”
He argued that political parties are public institutions sustained by the commitment and contributions of their members, not private entities controlled by a handful of individuals.
Adoko also described the actions of those opposing Olawepo-Hashim’s candidacy as a threat to internal party democracy and Nigeria’s democratic principles.
He insisted that the Accord Party should formally submit Olawepo-Hashim’s name to INEC as its presidential candidate for the 2027 election.
