The Accord Party has asked the Federal High Court in Abuja to dismiss a suit seeking to nullify the nomination of all its candidates for the 2027 general elections, arguing that the case was filed outside the statutory time limit and that the court lacks jurisdiction to entertain it.

The party, the second defendant in the suit, challenged the competence of the action filed by its National Secretary, Adebukola Ajaja, on the grounds that it was instituted outside the 14-day period prescribed by law for pre-election matters.

In a preliminary objection marked FHC/ABJ/CV/2524/2026 and filed by Musibau Adetunbi, its counsel, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Accord argued that candidates’ nomination falls within the internal affairs of a political party.

The party also challenged Ajaja’s locus standi, arguing that she was not an aspirant in the party’s primary election held on May 29 and therefore lacked the legal standing to challenge its outcome.

It further argued that the suit was defective because the candidates whose nominations the plaintiff seeks to nullify were not joined as parties.

According to Adetunbi, any decision on the validity of their nominations would directly affect them, making their inclusion necessary to ensure they have an opportunity to defend their interests.

The party also described the suit as premature, alleging that the plaintiff failed to serve the required 21-day pre-action notice before commencing the proceedings.

On the substance of the dispute, Accord maintained that its May 29 primary election was conducted in compliance with relevant laws and guidelines. It said the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) had recognised the exercise and received the list of candidates submitted by the party.

A key issue in the suit is the authority to sign and forward the party’s candidates’ nomination documents to INEC. Ajaja had challenged the involvement of the National Organising Secretary, alleging that her responsibilities as National Secretary had been taken over.

Accord, however, argued that its National Chairman and National Organising Secretary could jointly sign and submit the candidates’ lists and nomination documents where the National Secretary was unavailable.

The party relied on Article 18 of its constitution and Regulations 25(3) and 28(2) of INEC’s Guidelines for Political Parties, arguing that neither the guidelines nor its constitution required the National Secretary to sign the forwarding letter.

It said its National Executive had authorised the National Organising Secretary to co-sign the letter with the National Chairman.

“The National Executives of the party expressly authorised the 4th defendant to co-sign with the 3rd defendant. No wrong has been done,” the party argued.

Accord also relied on the Supreme Court’s decision in Jegede v. INEC, arguing that the National Chairman’s signature alone would have been sufficient to validate the submission of its candidates’ list.

In a counter-affidavit, Maxwell Mgbudem, the party’s National Chairman, denied the allegation that the National Organising Secretary had taken over Ajaja’s responsibilities. He instead accused the National Secretary of abandoning her duties and failing to attend meetings of the National Working Committee.

Mgbudem said Ajaja had missed three consecutive meetings of the committee, which comprises the party’s national executive officers.

He argued that, as the party’s Chief Executive under Article 18(1) of its constitution, he had the authority to sign documents on its behalf and assign functions to other officers.

Citing Article 18(1)(v), he said the constitution empowered him to assign specific responsibilities to members and officers of the party.

Mgbudem told the court that the National Working Committee, at a meeting on May 24, resolved that he and Ibe ThankGod, the National Organising Secretary, should jointly sign the forwarding letter containing the names of successful aspirants.

He said the two officials subsequently forwarded the names of successful candidates electronically to INEC after the party concluded its primaries for all contested elective positions, except the presidential election, for which it did not conduct a primary.

The chairman added that electronic submission of INEC nomination forms, apart from the forwarding letters, did not require physical signatures on every document, given the number of political parties and candidates participating in the 2027 elections.

Mgbudem also questioned Ajaja’s handling of the party’s finances and accused her of making false claims about the number of cases arising from the primary election.

He said no fewer than 16 cases had been filed in connection with the exercise.