Duke met requirements for presidential ticket, says PRP
The Accord Party has unveiled Prof Christopher Imumolen as its presidential candidate for the 2027 general election following a consensus vote at the party’s National Presidential Primary Election.

National Secretary of the Accord Party, Muktar Abdullah, disclosed this in a statement issued to journalists in Abuja yesterday.

He said the party’s primary election, held in Lagos, produced Imumolen as its presidential candidate, noting that party leaders viewed his emergence as evidence of widespread support across the country and a determination to provide Nigerians with a credible alternative in leadership.

The statement reads, “In a definitive bid to chart a new, progressive path for our great nation ahead of the upcoming 2027 general elections, the Accord Party has officially elected Prof Christopher Imumolen as its presidential candidate. Imumolen was elected via a consensus vote, reflecting unified party support across national, regional, and generational lines during the party’s National Presidential Primary Election held in Lagos.”

Earlier, the Gbenga Hashim Solidarity Movement had alleged that external political interests were working to destabilise the party and undermine its presidential nomination process.

The group maintained that Gbenga Olawepo-Hashim remains the party’s duly elected presidential candidate, describing recent claims disputing his emergence as “unfounded and contrary to documented facts and democratic procedures already concluded within the party.”

A statement issued by the National Coordinator, Gbenga Hashim Solidarity Movement, said Hashim’s emergence followed a legitimate internal process involving party members across the country.

According to the group, Hashim joined the Accord Party in March 2026 following consultations with the party leadership on strengthening Nigeria’s multiparty democracy and subsequently mobilised nationwide support, contributed resources to party development and participated fully in activities leading to the presidential primary.

The movement said the party leadership had repeatedly assured Hashim that Accord would field a presidential candidate in compliance with the Electoral Act and the party’s internal guidelines.

It further alleged that external political actors sought to influence the party’s decision-making process before the primary election in a bid to prevent the party from presenting a presidential candidate in 2027.

The group also referenced tensions arising from political alignments outside the party structure, including comments reportedly attributed to Ademola Adeleke regarding support for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

Urging party members and supporters to remain calm, the movement argued that the development in the Accord Party reflects a broader trend across major political parties.

It cited reported factional disputes within the ADC, PDP and Labour Party over presidential nominations and leadership structures, noting that multiple claimants have emerged in some of the parties.

The group claimed that strong opposition candidates are often subjected to internal sabotage allegedly orchestrated by forces seeking to limit credible competition against the incumbent administration.

It reaffirmed Hashim’s commitment to democratic principles, national unity and offering what it described as a credible leadership alternative ahead of the 2027 presidential election.

In a related development the Peoples Redemption Party (PRP) said that its 2027 presidential candidate, Donald Duke, met all the requirements to be the flag bearer of the party.

The party’s National Chairman, Hakeem Baba-Ahmed, made this clarification yesterday during an interview on Arise Television’s ‘Morning Show’, saying, “Former Cross River Governor Donald Duke applied to join the party like everybody else. He complied with all the processes, including the screening of candidates.”