Accord Party has asked a Federal High Court in Abuja to dismiss a challenge to its 2027 candidate filings, arguing that the suit is late as its national secretary says party officials acted without her.
National Secretary Adebukola Abiola Ajaja filed the case on Oct. 21, 2026, under docket FHC/ABJ/CS/2524/2026. Her filing seeks to void three letters dated June 30, July 19 and Aug. 5, 2026, and the nomination forms sent to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC). Ajaja alleges National Chairman Maxwell Mgbudem and the National Organising Secretary signed and submitted them without her; she argues both the chairman and national secretary had to sign and submit the candidate papers.
INEC's 2026 guidelines leave signatory authority to each party's governing rules: candidate documents must bear signatures from national officers empowered by their party constitution. Accord's published constitution allows its chairman to assign duties to officers or members. Whether this clause covers the disputed filings is the point of disagreement.
In its preliminary objection, Accord says Ajaja brought the suit beyond the Constitution's 14-day period for pre-election cases and that the court therefore lacks jurisdiction. It also argues she was not an aspirant in the party's May 29, 2026, primary, did not give the party the 21-day pre-action notice it says was required and failed to join candidates whose nominations are challenged.
Accord cites Supreme Court case Jegede v. INEC for its reading that a chairman's signature can be enough; that is the party's interpretation of the precedent, not a decision in Ajaja's case. Accord's objection states, “No wrong has been done.”
BusinessDay reported that an unverified account in Mgbudem's counter-affidavit says the party's National Working Committee authorized him and the organising secretary at a May 24, 2026, meeting to sign the forwarding letter. The court has not issued a ruling on the dispute. No next hearing date was reported.
