INEC disowns Accord Party’s parallel gov primary in Osun

Kindly share this story:

The Independent National Electoral Commission in Osun State has said it was not aware of another primary by the Accord Party in the state.

A faction of Accord Party in Osun on Sunday reportedly held a primary election which produced Bamigbola Clement as its candidate in the August 8, 2026 governorship poll.

The fresh primary comes days after an earlier one last Wednesday, which produced Governor Ademola Adeleke as Accord Party’s governorship candidate for next year’s election.

The Sunday exercise, which held in Osogbo, the state capital, commenced with the accreditation of delegates.

Large presence of armed police operatives was also observed around the venue.

Bamigbola, who was the only aspirant presented to the delegates at the primary, when contacted by The PUNCH simply said, “It is true. We had our primary and I emerged the consensus candidate.”

But when contacted, the INEC Public Relations Officer in the state, Musa Olurode, explained that the commission was unaware of another primary by the Accord Party.

“We have monitored the only Accord Party primary a few days ago.The report has been submitted. INEC is not aware of any other party primary,” Olurode said.

At the earlier Accord Party’s governorship primary last Wednesday, Adeleke had run unopposed and emerged the party’s candidate.

Announcing the result of the primary, the secretary of the electoral committee that conducted the primary, Abdulazeez Salaudeen, said Adeleke polled 145 votes to winner.

He said 150 delegates drawn across the 30 local government areas in the state participated in the exercise.

Meanwhile, the caretaker Chairman of Accord Party in Osun State, Babalola Akande, said those behind the Sunday primary  are not known to the party in the state.

Akande, who addressed journalists in Osogbo on Sunday, reacting to the parallel primary, said Adeleke remains the duly nominated and lawful governorship candidate of the Accord in the state.

“This position is incontestable, irreversible, and firmly grounded in law, having emerged through due process in accordance with the Constitution of the Accord, the Electoral Act 2022, and established judicial precedents,” he said.

He urged Osun people to ignore the “distractions, which are the handiwork of politically displaced actors who, having been repeatedly rejected by the electorate, now resort to impersonation, falsehood, and institutional sabotage in a futile bid to return to power through the back door. We are hearing that the person being used for this heinous purpose is a legal practitioner. That, to us, will make our job easy, as our party will stop at nothing but to report him to appropriate authorities including the LPDC.

“We therefore make bold to state that any institution or authority that accords recognition, protection, or legitimacy to such impostors or their activities does so at its own legal peril, as the Accord will promptly and decisively invoke necessary judicial intervention to protect its constitutional rights, internal democracy, and the sanctity of the ballot.

“For the final time and for the sake of emphasis, by virtue of the valid primary election lawfully conducted on Wednesday, 10th December 2025, Governor Ademola Jackson Nurudeen Adeleke is the sole and legally recognised governorship candidate of the Accord in Osun State. No parallel structure, no impersonator, and no contrived spectacle can alter legal reality.”

Olajengbesi backs Adeleke

Meanwhile, the Convener of the Imole Grassroots Mobilisation Network, Pelumi Olajengbesi,has described Governor Adeleke as a charismatic leader whose influence and electoral strength transcends political party.

In a statement made available to The PUNCH, Olajengbesi, an Abuja-based lawyer, said Adeleke’s potential victory at the 2026 governorship poll in Osun State remained unshaken despite his defection from the PDP to Accord Party.

Olajengbesi said Adeleke’s electoral strength lies in his love for the good people of Osun State from his time as senator to being a governor.

He said, “As far as I am concerned, Governor Ademola Adeleke’s re-election in the August 8, 2026 governorship poll is a walkover as there is no serious contender in the race who can compete favourably with Adeleke let alone defeat the incumbent governor.”

Olajengbesi, an hopeful for the Obokun/Oriade Federal Constituency seat in the House of Representatives, said the political numbers is in favour of Adeleke and not the APC.

“If Adeleke, with the support of the people of Osun, could defeat an incumbent governor, Gboyega Oyetola, in 2022, defeating some greenhorns in 2026 will come so cheap. Oyetola had federal might by his side yet lost. Politics is local.

“Let it be known that the same reason Adeleke won in 2022 is the same reason he will win in 2026 – robust grassroots base, a political capital all his contenders envy,” Olajengbesi said.

He said, “Politics is local and the people of Osun State have spoken loud and clear of their love and support for Governor Ademola Adeleke.

“At the moment, I see no formidable candidate known by Osun people to challenge Adeleke in next year’s poll. Whether it is Bola Oyebamiji of the All Progressives Congress (APC) or any other person, I see no formidable candidate to command the kind of love and support the people of Osun State have for Adeleke.

“Beyond the love and admiration that the governor enjoy from the people, his many transformational projects and visionary leadership have been impactful.”

Kindly share this story:

All rights reserved. This material, and other digital content on this website, may not be reproduced, published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed in whole or in part without prior express written permission from PUNCH.

Contact: [email protected]

UPDATE NEWS: Nigerians can now invest ₦2.5million on premium domains and profit about ₦17-₦25Million. All earnings paid in US Dollars. Rather than wonder, 👉 click here to find out how it work (Be sure to ask for evidence of clients that have benefitted from this)

Stay informed and ahead of the curve! Follow The Punch Newspaper on WhatsApp for real-time updates, breaking news, and exclusive content. Don't miss a headline – join now!

Stay in the know—fast. Get instant alerts, breaking headlines, and exclusive stories with the Punch News App. Download now and never miss a beat.