Osun 2026: Adeleke’s defection attracting more members — Accord Party

The Accord Party on Tuesday said the defection of Osun Governor, Senator Ademola Adeleke, to its platform has triggered a surge in nationwide membership, positioning the party as a significant force ahead of the 2026 governorship election in the state.

The National Chairman of the party, Maxwell Mgbudem, disclosed this while addressing a press conference at the party’s national secretariat in Abuja to dismiss claims of factionalisation.

Mgbudem emphasised that Adeleke’s entry, alongside his political associates and supporters, has significantly boosted the party’s national profile and appeal.

“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 has attracted numerous Nigerians to Accord, which has placed the party at the forefront of our democratic process,” he added.

The party chairman also highlighted that the party’s former presidential candidate, Christopher Imumolen, remains expelled, accusing him of spreading misinformation and impersonating party leadership for political relevance.

According to Mgbudem, the party’s growing popularity had attracted the attention of political opportunists, singling out Imumolen, whom he described as an expelled member seeking to usurp positions within the party.

“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.

The Accord chairman said it had become necessary to address what he described as “fake news and propaganda” following Imumolen’s recent media appearances in which he allegedly claimed to be the party chairman and announced another governorship candidate for Osun State.

Describing the claims as baseless, he said, “It is laughable and a joke taken too far in making a mockery of our nation’s hard-earned democracy. It is a hallucination of the worst order and 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.”

Reiterating the party’s internal cohesion, Mgbudem said Accord remained united and focused on the upcoming elections.

“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.

The chairman warned that the party would not be distracted by what he described as political jobbers and “anti-democratic and reactionary forces” seeking “cheap publicity and stomach infrastructure for personal aggrandisement.”