A faction within the Accord Party, operating under the banner of the Accord Alliance Movement (AAM), has called on the party's leadership to forward the name of Dr Gbenga Olawepo-Hashim to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) as its sole presidential candidate for the 2027 general elections. The group made the demand at a press conference held in Abuja on Wednesday, July 8, 2026.
Faction Alleges Sabotage by Party Leadership
Hon. Light Adah Adoko, Director General of the AAM, maintained that the party conducted a nationwide presidential primary during which members voted overwhelmingly for Olawepo-Hashim. He described the subsequent refusal by party leadership to recognize that outcome as a deliberate act of sabotage rather than a procedural failing.
“A political party is not a private business. It is not a family property managed by a privileged few. A political party is a public trust,” Adoko said. He added that the conduct of certain figures within the party was “undermining internal party democracy and the very tenets of our hard-won democracy.”
Contrast with National Chairman's Position
The AAM's position stands in direct contrast to that of Accord's national chairman, Maxwell Mgbude, who had earlier stated that the party conducted no presidential primary and would therefore not present a candidate for the 2027 presidency. Adoko, who hails from Benue state, framed the dispute as a “grand conspiracy” against what he described as the New Nigeria vision. He warned that parties which disregard the choices of their members ultimately invite their own collapse.
“History shows that the path the leadership of our party have chosen leads to ruin. Every time a political party destroys its own internal democracy, it collapses,” he said.
Defense of Olawepo-Hashim's Credentials
The group issued a pointed defense of Olawepo-Hashim's credentials, citing his record of opposition to military rule and his longstanding involvement in pro-democracy struggles across Nigeria and the wider continent. Adoko argued that blocking the candidate would amount to disenfranchising millions of Nigerians who believe in Olawepo-Hashim's capacity to address the country's mounting challenges around corruption, insecurity, and the rising cost of living.
The AAM described itself as a broad coalition of grassroots supporters and stakeholders committed to mobilizing public support behind Olawepo-Hashim's presidential ambition ahead of the 2027 polls.
