Osun 2027: Accord, INEC Affirm Adeleke As Gov Candidate

Governor Ademola Adeleke remains the governorship candidate of the Accord Party, based on his nomination last week, the party has said.

The party insists that any other candidate parading himself as its governorship candidate is an impostor, saying the governor has the overwhelming support of members of the party as its sole candidate for the 2027 gubernatorial election.

Accord Party made the affirmation in the communique issued on Sunday by the South-west National Vice Chairman of the party, Paul Igbinsola, in Ibadan, Oyo state capital.

The affirmation is coming on the heels of a parallel governorship primary held at the weekend by some members of the party, where Clement Bamigbola emerged as the governorship candidate.

Not a few insist that the action of the Bamigbola faction is capable of throwing the state into violence, as the party has also accused the All Progressives Congress, APC of instigating the crisis because of the alleged threat posed by Governor Adeleke to its plan to take over the state.

Affirming Governor Adeleke as its sole candidate, Igbinsola at the meeting, flanked by other party state chairmen from the south west disclosed that all the stakeholders agreed to Adeleke’s candidacy.

Apart from him, those who attended the meeting include Raji Waheed (Oyo), Dr Oyedamola Babarinde (Ekiti), Abimbola Falaja (Ogun), Mrs Balogun Titilayo (Ondo), and Dolapo Tolulope (Osun), saying Segun Fanibe, who led the faction that produced Bamigbola had left the party since 2018 .

Part of the communique: “We have met, resolved our differences, and agreed to collectively support the candidacy of Ademola Adeleke to fly the ticket of the Accord Party. We have buried the hatchet and united behind Adeleke candidacy, having recognised that this is an emergency decision that required the immediate convening of all stakeholders.

“As a result of Adeleke’s defection from the Peoples Democratic Party to Accord, and in line with our party’s constitution, Adeleke has automatically become our national leader.

“Today, we have formally endorsed and approved him as the national leader of our party.

“Furthermore, we hereby disown Segun Fanibe, the former chairman of the Accord Party in Osun State between 2016 and 2018. He has since left the party for the All Progressives Congress and has therefore ceased to be a member of Accord. He is no longer associated with the party in any capacity.

“All factions within the party, across the South-West zone and at the national level, have unanimously endorsed Ademola Adeleke as our candidate and national leader.

“In view of this development, any kangaroo primary organised by Fanibe is null and void,” Igbinsola said.

Last week, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu affirmed that the ruling APC was now ready to reclaim the state, saying the emergence of Munirudeen Bola Oyebamiji as the party’s candidate.

Oyebamji, the magazine reports emerged as the party’s governorship candidate  based on consensus.