By Emmanuel Oloniruha
Factional National Chairman of Accord, Prof. Chris Imumolen has said the crisis over the national leadership of the party will not be determined by the outcome of the Osun election, political pressure, media propaganda or unilateral declarations.
Imumolen stated this at a news conference on Friday in Abuja while vowing that the ongoing internal leadership dispute over the leadership of the party will be pursued to its logical and lawful conclusion in court.
He therefore cautioned politicians and interested parties against conflicting the party’s internal leadership with the outcome of Osun governorship election.
“We should allow the courts to do their work. Nobody should attempt to settle the national leadership question through the outcome of the Osun election, political pressure, media propaganda or unilateral declarations.
“Our commitment to Accord remains intact. Our commitment to the rule of law remains absolute.
“We shall continue to pursue the judicial process until the legitimate leadership question is finally settled,” he said.
According to him, the dispute predates the Osun governorship election and the entry of Gov. Ademola Adeleke into the party, noting that the matter has been subject to judicial proceedings since 2024.
He recalled that on Aug. 29, 2024, the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) High Court, presided over by Justice M. M. Adamu, had issued an interim order in the suit involving himself against Maxwell Mgbudem and others.
Imumolen said that the court had directed Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to recognise him as the National Chairman pending the determination of the substantive suit.
He further stated that before Adeleke’s entry into the party, efforts were made to engage him and find a political and internal resolution to the leadership crisis, adding, however, that the efforts did not produce the desired result.
He said that he was contacted by the former Gov. Olagunsoye Oyinlola of Osun when Adeleke was preparing to join the party, but no meaningful communication was established to settle the crisis after the governor’s entry.
“I have consistently maintained, the proper place to determine who is legally entitled to lead Accord is the court, not the street, not political propaganda and not an election campaign.
“Let me therefore make this absolutely clear, that Osun election is an election. The Accord leadership dispute is a national party and legal matter. They are two different issues.
“The Osun election has come and gone. The national leadership question within Accord remains a matter to be determined through the appropriate legal process.
“Even with the conclusion of the Osun election, the Accord leadership case will continue.
“It is therefore wrong for anyone to suggest that the outcome of the Osun election will automatically determine who leads Accord nationally.
“Accord is a national political party. Its national leadership cannot be reduced to the political circumstances or outcome of an election in one state,” he said.
On the 2027 presidential race, Imumolen reiterated that Accord currently has no presidential candidate, having decided to step down from the race.
He affirmed that the party maintained its political decision to support the re-election of President Bola Tinubu, stressing that declaring support for the administration did not contradict the ongoing legal suit over the party’s leadership structure.
“Accordingly, we shall continue to openly declare our support for the re-election of President Bola Tinubu and continue to mobilise support for his national mandate.
“There is absolutely no contradiction between supporting President Tinubu and pursuing the Accord leadership case in court. 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 urged party members, supporters and stakeholders across the country to remain calm, law-abiding and allow the judicial process to run its course.
