Osun Accord dismisses faction claims, links membership surge to Adeleke’s defection

By : 'Sola Akinsanmi

Date: 23 December 2025 9:16pm WAT

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The Accord Party

The Accord Party

The Accord Party has dismissed reports of internal division, saying the recent defection of Osun State Governor, Senator Ademola Adeleke, to its platform has strengthened the party’s cohesion and driven increased membership nationwide ahead of the 2026 governorship election.

The party’s National Chairman, Maxwell Mgbudem, stated this on Tuesday while addressing journalists at the Accord national secretariat in Abuja. He said the leadership was compelled to respond to what he described as misinformation suggesting that the party was factionalised.

According to Mgbudem, Adeleke’s move to Accord, alongside his supporters and political associates, has raised the party’s profile beyond Osun State and attracted new members across the country.

“Since His Excellency, Senator Ademola Adeleke, joined Accord along with his political associates and supporters, our party has witnessed tremendous national acceptance as thousands of Nigerians join and identify with Accord across the country, a testament to Governor Adeleke’s political influence and national appeal,” he said.

He added that the governor’s defection had repositioned the party in national politics. “He has attracted numerous Nigerians to Accord, which has placed the party at the forefront of our democratic process,” Mgbudem said.

The Accord chairman also addressed claims by the party’s former presidential candidate, Christopher Imumolen, whom he said had been expelled. Mgbudem accused Imumolen of misrepresenting himself as a party leader and making unauthorised pronouncements, including claims about the party’s governorship ticket in Osun State.

“It is this amazing growth and popularity of the party nationwide that our expelled former presidential candidate, Christopher Imumolen, wants to steal a match by arrogating to himself a party position he never had, was never appointed to, nor elected to, a mirage that exists in his fruitful imagination,” he said.

Mgbudem described recent media statements attributed to Imumolen, in which he allegedly claimed to be the national chairman and announced another governorship candidate, as unfounded.

“It is laughable and a joke taken too far in making a mockery of our nation’s hard-earned democracy,” he said, adding that such claims were “an insult to the sensibilities of the good people of Osun State, after witnessing the emergence of Governor Adeleke as the duly nominated candidate of Accord in the governorship primary monitored by INEC and extensively covered by the media.”

Reaffirming the party’s position, Mgbudem said Accord remained united at all levels of leadership and was focused on preparations for the 2026 Osun governorship election.

“I state categorically that Accord is the most peaceful, stable, united, progressive, and fastest growing political party in Nigeria today. Accord has no faction at all levels of leadership,” he said.

He warned that the party would not allow itself to be distracted by individuals he described as political opportunists seeking attention, insisting that Accord’s leadership remained committed to consolidating its structure and electoral strategy ahead of the polls.

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