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, listed as the 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), 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. (NAN)