ABUJA — The Prof. Chris Imumolen-led faction of the Accord Party has insisted that the outcome of the Osun State governorship election cannot determine who emerges as the legitimate national leadership of the party, saying the leadership dispute is a separate matter before the courts.
Imumolen, who spoke with journalists in Abuja, said the leadership crisis in Accord predates the entry of Osun State Governor, Ademola Adeleke, into the party and has been the subject of litigation since 2024.
He said an interim order issued by the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, on August 29, 2024, in Suit No. FCT/HC/M/11850/2024, directed the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to recognise him as National Chairman of Accord pending the determination of the substantive suit.
According to him, the order also restrained members of the opposing faction from parading themselves as the party’s National Executive Committee and from conducting state and local government congresses pending the determination of the case.
Imumolen maintained that the legal dispute was already in court before Adeleke joined Accord, stressing that the Osun governorship election should not be confused with the national leadership crisis.
He alleged that Adeleke, upon joining the party, aligned with one of the contending factions rather than seeking to understand and reconcile the competing leadership structures.
The Accord leader said several attempts were made to resolve the crisis politically, including interventions involving former Osun State Governor, Chief Olagunsoye Oyinlola, but failed to produce a lasting solution.
He said the disagreement subsequently contributed to the emergence of rival party structures and competing governorship primaries in Osun State, with different candidates emerging from the factions.
Imumolen, however, stressed that the eventual outcome of the Osun election would have no automatic bearing on the question of who controls the national leadership of Accord.
“The Osun election is an election. The Accord leadership dispute is a national party and legal matter. They are two different issues,” he said.
According to him, the courts remain the appropriate avenue for determining the legitimate leadership of the party, rather than political pressure, media campaigns or the outcome of an election in a single state.
“The Osun election will come and go. Whichever candidate wins or loses, the national leadership question within Accord remains a matter to be determined through the appropriate legal process,” he said.
Imumolen said his faction would pursue the case through all available judicial avenues until the courts resolve the competing claims.
He assured party members and stakeholders that his faction remained committed to the rule of law, urging them to remain calm and allow the judiciary to determine the matter.
“The election cannot extinguish the case. The case does not depend on the election,” he said.
On the 2027 presidential election, Imumolen said Accord had stepped down from the presidential race and would continue to support President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s re-election bid.
He said the party’s political decision to support Tinubu was separate from the legal dispute over its national leadership.
“Our presidential position is a political decision. The Accord leadership dispute is a legal and internal party matter. One does not cancel the other,” he said.
Imumolen called on Accord members, supporters and stakeholders to remain disciplined and law-abiding, cautioning against attempts to resolve the leadership dispute through unilateral declarations or political pressure.
He reiterated that the national leadership case would continue irrespective of the outcome of the Osun governorship election, saying the matter would be pursued until its lawful conclusion.
