Accord Party disowns Imumolen, backs Adeleke’s candidacy

FILE: Adeleke

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The National Coordinator of the Accord Party, Rev. Isaac Adeniyi, has distanced the party from a statement credited to its former presidential candidate, Chris Imumolen.

On December 3, a faction of the Accord Party launched a legal action before the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, seeking to void the party’s forthcoming Osun State governorship primaries and to affirm the suspension of the party’s National Chairman, Maxwell Mgbudem.

The suit, filed on December 3, 202,5 and marked FCT/CV/4955/2025, was instituted by Oliver Bitrus, who listed the Accord Party, Mgbudem and the Independent National Electoral Commission as the first, second and third defendants.

Bitrus, represented by counsel Daniel Edeachi, contends that Mgbudem and his deputy, Chief Okey Nwosu, were duly suspended by a faction of the party over alleged anti-party activities.

He added that the faction subsequently appointed Prof. Chris Imumolen as a replacement, relying on a Federal High Court judgment they claim recognises him as the lawful national leader.

Imumolen described the defection of the Osun State governor, Ademola Adeleke, as a “back door entry,” declaring it invalid.

Imumolen faction of the party also conducted another primary, but the Independent National Electoral Commission accepted the result of the primary that threw up Adeleke.

However, Adeniyi, in a statement in Benin on Monday, backed Adeleke’s candidacy while dissociating the party from the statements credited to Imumolen.

The statement reads, “The Accord Party, attention has been drawn to a statement credited to one Chris Imumolen criticizing Osun State Governor, Ademola Adeleke, for defecting to our great party.

“Accord disassociates our party from the reckless statements of the said Imumolen. Let it also be known that in trying to display his ignorance to challenge the legitimacy of Governor Ademola Adeleke’s victory at the Accord Party’s primary, Imomulen hurriedly went to organize a Kangaroo primary elsewhere in Osun State, unknown to the public, proclaiming himself as National Chairman and his disguised National Working Committee members. The actions of Imumolen are illegal, null and void.

“The General public is warned not to associate themselves with Imumolen’s group as he and his group do not represent the party in any capacity whatsoever. We equallycall on the INEC to discountenance this group.”

Adeniyi said the Accord Party commended INEC for recognising Adeleke as the legitimate candidate of the party.

Adeniyi added, “Governor Ademola Adeleke was duly registered at his ward as a member of the Accord party, and he collected the nomination form.

“The party’s primary was conducted and witnessed by INEC officials, as he was subsequently elected as Accord flag bearer. Also, the Accord constitution stipulates that the party ticket should be given to a sole candidate in the absence of any other contestants.

“Finally, we congratulate Governor Adeleke for emerging as the Governorship candidate of the Accord party. Those sponsoring Imumolen know for sure that Governor Adeleke will emerge victorious in the forthcoming Osun Governorship election.

“The other political parties should put their leaking umbrella and the scattered broom in Osun State in order. There is no killing the beetle, Imole is sure of victory.”

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