Ibadan, September 25, 2026 — The ongoing legal battle surrounding the 2027 Oyo State governorship ticket of the Accord Party recorded another significant development on Friday, September 25, as the Federal High Court sitting in Ibadan addressed the dispute over who has the authority to engage legal counsel on behalf of the party.
In the latest proceedings involving Alhaji Oriyomi Hamzat and the Accord Party leadership, the position advanced by Hamzat and the camp associated with National Chairman Maxwell Mgbudem on the authority to instruct counsel was unsuccessful.
According to the update from the proceedings, the court affirmed that the National Secretary of the Accord Party has the authority to retain and instruct legal advisers on behalf of the party.
The ruling addresses a procedural but important aspect of the wider dispute, which has already been characterised by competing claims over the leadership and governorship ticket of the party ahead of the 2027 Oyo State election.
The issue of legal representation became prominent after different lawyers appeared in the matter claiming to represent the Accord Party. The development previously caused the substantive proceedings to stall, prompting the court to give the contending parties time to resolve the disagreement over who had the authority to represent the party legally.
The case is connected to Suit No. FHC/IB/CS/97/26, instituted by Accord chieftain Olakunle Busari, who is challenging the emergence of Oriyomi Hamzat as the party's governorship candidate for the 2027 election. Busari is seeking, among other reliefs, an order directing the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to remove Hamzat's name from its records and recognise him as the authentic candidate.
The dispute dates back to Accord's governorship primary conducted in May 2026. Hamzat was announced by a faction of the party as its candidate, while another group subsequently declared Busari the winner of a parallel primary, producing competing claims over the party's ticket.
The leadership crisis within Accord has consequently become intertwined with the legal battle over the Oyo governorship ticket, with different camps presenting competing positions on the party's recognised leadership and the validity of the processes that produced the candidates.
Earlier proceedings also revealed disagreements among party stakeholders over the appointment of lawyers. The party's Oyo State Secretary, Dairo Olayinka, had previously stated that party executives had already appointed counsel and issued a letter authorising the lawyer to represent the party's interests.
The latest court development therefore provides clarification on the specific question of who can engage legal representation for Accord in the matter. However, it should not be interpreted as a final determination of the substantive dispute over who will ultimately emerge as Accord's recognised governorship candidate for the 2027 Oyo State election.
The broader case remains ongoing, with further proceedings expected as the court considers the outstanding issues surrounding the party's leadership, nomination process and competing claims to the governorship ticket.
The court had previously fixed September 30, 2026, for further proceedings in the matter.
For now, the September 25 development represents another stage in a legal and political dispute that continues to attract attention across Oyo State as the 2027 governorship contest gradually takes shape.
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