Accord dismisses factional chairman’s support for Osun APC gov candidate
August 13, 2026 8:19 pm
National Chairman, Accord Party, Maxwell Mgbudem. Photo: Accord Party.
The Accord Party has dismissed the endorsement of the All Progressives Congress governorship candidate in Osun State, Bola Oyebamiji, by its expelled former 2023 presidential candidate, Chris Imumolen.
Imumolen, who is the factional presidential candidate and Factional National Chairman of the party, had disclosed that the party has stepped down its support for Governor Ademola Adeleke and stated its support for the candidate of the All Progressives Congress, Bola Oyebamiji.
The party, in a statement on Thursday by its National Chairman, Maxwell Mgbudem, said Imumolen’s appearance at the APC campaign rally in Osogbo, where he declared support for Oyebamiji, showed that he was no longer a member of Accord.
Accord described Imumolen as a “political hireling and hustler” who had no political structure capable of influencing the outcome of Saturday’s governorship election.
The party also rejected the description of Imumolen as a “factional chairman” of Accord, saying there was no faction within the party.
“That Imumolen attended the APC rally in Osogbo where he backed its candidate is a glaring testament that he is not a member of Accord and does not represent the party in any capacity.
“The purported appellation, ‘factional chairman’ of Accord is not only mischievous, it is a delusion of the grandeur that exists in his fertile imagination, as the party has no faction. Imumolen has no electoral value to influence any election in the country,” he said.
The party expressed confidence that Governor Ademola Adeleke would secure victory under the Accord platform in the August 15 governorship election, describing Osun as a stronghold of the party.
“Osun State is an Accord stronghold; the people are in one accord with Governor Ademola Adeleke and will overwhelmingly vote for the party on Saturday, August 15,” it said.
Accord further alleged that the APC, fearing electoral defeat, had resorted to what it described as violence, harassment and intimidation, as well as the use of federal institutions, including the police and the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, to suppress the Osun government, residents and Accord members.
The party urged the Independent National Electoral Commission to remain neutral and conduct a credible election, while calling on security agencies to be impartial and professional in carrying out their duties.
It also appealed to the international community, including the European Union, African Union, ECOWAS, the United States and the United Kingdom, to monitor the election and sanction anyone found to have compromised the process.
Accord said it was confident of victory based on what it described as Adeleke’s achievements and transformational leadership in the state.
“Let the Osun State governorship election set a new national standard in the conduct of elections in Nigeria,” the party said.
Solomon Odeniyi is a journalist at Punch Newspapers with over six years of professional experience. He has covered key national beats including the judiciary, military, and police, and currently reports on anti-corruption and related issues. Solomon’s work reflects a strong commitment to development-oriented reporting, public interest journalism, and accountability.
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