The Accord Party has urged the Federal High Court in Abuja to dismiss a suit seeking disqualification of all its candidates for the 2027 general elections.
The party challenged the competence of the suit filed by its National Secretary, Adebukola Ajaja, on the grounds that the case was statute barred, having been instituted outside the 14 days allowed under the law.
The party, in a preliminary objection marked FHC/ABJ/CV/2524/2026 and filed by Musibau Adetunbi, SAN, also queried the jurisdiction of the court to entertain the case.
Adetunbi argued that the issue of candidates’ nomination falls within the internal affairs of a political party.
The senior lawyer, while querying the plaintiff’s locus standi to file the suit for not being an aspirant in the primary election conducted on May 29, also faulted the competence of the suit on the grounds that proper parties were not included.
He argued that while the plaintiff wants the court to nullify the nomination of its candidates, none of the candidates to be affected by the outcome of the suit were made parties to afford them the opportunity of being heard.
He also faulted the competence of the suit on the grounds that it is allegedly premature because the plaintiff failed to give it the required 21 days pre-action notice.
Accord, the listed 2nd defendant argued that its primary was conducted in accordance with all relevant laws and guidelines.
It added that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) had since recognised its outcome and the list of candidates duly submitted to the electoral umpire in the prescribed format.
It further argued that, as against the plaintiff’s contention, the National Chairman and the National Organising Secretary could validly sign and submit candidates’ lists and forms to INEC where the National Security is unavailable in line with Article 18 of the party’s constitution and Regulations 25(3) and 28(2) of INEC’s Guidelines.
“INEC Regulations and Guidelines for Political Parties did not in any way specify that the plaintiff herein must sign the forwarding letter, neither did the Constitution of the 2nd defendant require her (the plaintiff) to sign.
“The National Executives of the party expressly authorised the 4th defendant to co-sign with the 3rd defendant. No wrong has been done,” it said.
Relying on the Supreme Court’s decision in the case of Jegede v. INEC, Accord Party argued that even if it was only its National Chairman that signed, “the plaintiff’s case is still bound to fail because the signature of the National Chairman suffices on the authority of Jegede v. INEC.”
Accord Party’s National Chairman, Maxwell Mgbudem, stated in a counter-affidavit that contrary to the plaintiff’s claim that her responsibilities were usurped by the National Organising Secretary, she actually abandoned her duties.
Mgbudem, who queried the plaintiff’s handling of the party’s funds, accused her of making false claims about the number of cases pending in court in relation to the primary election, stating that not less than 16 were filed.
He said: “the plaintiff was the National Secretary but she had stopped attending the meetings of the National Working Committee which under our party’s constitution comprises the National Executive Officers.
“She did not attend the past three consecutive National Working Committee meetings.
“As the Chief Executive of the 2nd defendant, I can sign any document on behalf of the party, except where either the National Executive Council or the Convention sees the need for the contrary.
“By virtue of Article 18(1) of the Accord Constitution, I am the Chief Executive of Accord and by virtue of 18(1)(v), I have the power to “assign specific functions to any member or officer of the party.
“On May 24. the National Working Committee, under my leadership, met and resolved that I, as the National Chairman and Ibe ThankGod, the National Organizing Secretary, should co-sign the forwarding letter of the aspirants who are eventually successful.
“INEC recognised the primary election conducted on May 29 by the National Executive of the party under the supervision of the National Working Committee
“After the successful completion of all the primaries into all contested elective positions, except presidential (which the party did not conduct any primary election into), Ibe and I forwarded the names of all our successful candidates electronically to INEC.
“Electronic submissions of all INEC forms, other than the letters, do not require physical signing of all the forms due to the large number of participating political parties and the extremely large number of candidates participating in the 2027 General Elections.
