Accord rejects Tinubu endorsement, backs Adeleke for Osun poll

The Accord Party has dismissed reports suggesting it has endorsed President Bola Tinubu, stating clearly that no such decision has been made.

Speaking at a press briefing in Abuja on Thursday, the party’s National Chairman, Maxwell Mgbudem, rejected the claim outright.

“There is nothing like that (Tinubu’s endorsement),” he said. “This is a political party, and Governor Adeleke is our candidate. If there is any such endorsement, I assure you that the media will be the first to know. It will come from here.”

Mgbudem stressed that the party’s priority remains the re-election of Ademola Adeleke in the Osun governorship poll scheduled for 15 August 2026.

He added that internal preparations are ongoing following a recent National Executive Committee meeting, noting growing interest among aspirants.

“Every candidate will emerge after the primaries. We have just finished our NEC meeting, but still working on the modalities,” he said. “Many aspirants are presently rushing to buy forms for various positions after we announced our nomination fees and timetable.”

The clarification comes after controversy surrounding a billboard in Iwo, Osun State, which displayed images of Tinubu alongside Adeleke. The development sparked a heated exchange between the All Progressives Congress and the governor’s camp.

While the APC accused Adeleke of exploiting the president’s image for political advantage, his spokesperson, Olawale Rasheed, accused the ruling party of grappling with an “integrity crisis” and reacting to Adeleke’s rising popularity.

Defending the governor’s record, Mgbudem said Adeleke’s performance has earned public approval.

“On Governor Adeleke, everybody in this country, including journalists, knows he has done wonderfully well in the state. And the people are eager to vote for him again,” he stated.

He also noted that Adeleke has secured backing from the Peoples Democratic Party in Osun, describing the forthcoming vote as one driven by ordinary citizens.

“This will be an election for the masses because they are the ones heading to the polls to elect their choice candidate,” he added.

Expressing confidence in the outcome, Mgbudem said the party is not concerned about opposition alliances.

“Accord is not afraid of any gang-up or opposition against him. We refuse to be distracted,” he said. “I can assure you that he is going to win the election with a very wide margin.”

The chairman also highlighted what he described as the party’s growing influence, attributing its rise to Adeleke’s involvement and the influx of new members.

Turning to internal matters, Mgbudem dismissed claims of a leadership dispute within the party, rejecting moves by Christopher Imumolen to position himself as national leader.

“On Tuesday, the expelled former candidate of Accord, Prof Christopher Imumolen, staged a poorly scripted show… seeking to be recognised as chairman of the party based on an imaginary court order,” he said.

He insisted that no such order exists and that the party remains united.

“For the avoidance of doubt, there is no leadership dispute or faction in Accord, and there is no court order in favour of Imumolen or anybody for INEC to comply with,” Mgbudem stated.

He concluded that the party would not be sidetracked by what he described as distractions, maintaining its focus on forthcoming elections.