I’ve not been refunded my nomination fee, says Olawepo-Hashim

Former presidential aspirant Gbenga Olawepo-Hashim has refuted reports that the Accord Party refunded his N50 million nomination fee, asserting the money remains in the party's accounts. Olawepo-Hashim stated on Tuesday that the claim of a refund is false and that he has not seen any such transaction in his bank account.

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That is not true. They have never refunded my money. My money is still in their account. If it had been refunded, I would have seen it in my bank account. So that claim is false.

He maintains his position as the party's validly nominated presidential candidate. Olawepo-Hashim recounted being personally invited to join the Accord Party by its national leadership, including the National Chairman, who led a delegation to his office. He was assured that the presidential primary process would adhere to party guidelines.

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When the National Chairman of the Accord Party came to meet me, he personally invited me to join the party. Don’t forget that I was in the PDP at the time. He even led a delegation to my office.

The party had issued a notice for its presidential primary and submitted the schedule to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC). Olawepo-Hashim emphasized that under the guidelines, such a notice cannot be canceled without issuing a new one at least seven days prior. He declared, "Yes, I am still in the race. I have emerged as the candidate, and nobody can take that away."

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Under the guidelines, you cannot cancel such a notice unless you issue another notice at least seven days before the event.

Olawepo-Hashim also commented on the broader political climate, suggesting that the Accord Party's internal disputes are symptomatic of challenges faced by many political parties in Nigeria. He criticized the framework adopted for party primaries, arguing it creates conditions for confusion and disputes. He noted that the Electoral Act requires primaries to conclude 120 days before an election, but parties were pressured to finish within a shorter timeframe, a situation he and others had challenged.

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Yes, I am still in the race. I have emerged as the candidate, and nobody can take that away.