Prof. Chris Imumolen, the National Chairman of the Accord Party, has rejected claims that the Osun State governorship election would resolve the party's internal leadership dispute, insisting the two matters are entirely separate.
Speaking from Abuja in a statement made available to Legit.ng, Imumolen said the leadership question within Accord is a national legal matter already before the courts and that no election result can determine its outcome. He warned politicians and stakeholders to stop treating the party's internal dispute as though it is tied to the Osun election.
Leadership Dispute Predates Adeleke's Entry into Accord
Imumolen traced the origins of the crisis to 2024, well before Osun Governor Ademola Adeleke joined the party. On August 29, 2024, the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory in Abuja, in Suit No. FCT/HC/M/11850/2024, issued an interim order directing the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to recognise Imumolen as National Chairman pending the hearing of the substantive suit. The order, made by Justice M. M. Adamu, also restrained the opposing faction from conducting party congresses or parading itself as the National Executive Committee while the case was ongoing.
Imumolen said that when Adeleke eventually joined Accord, the governor aligned with the rival faction rather than first attempting to understand the competing structures. He added that efforts to reach a political resolution involving former Osun Governor Chief Olagunsoye Oyinlola and others failed to produce an agreement. The competing factions eventually conducted separate primaries in Osun State, producing different candidates.
Court, Not Election, to Decide Accord Leadership
Imumolen was firm that the conclusion of the Osun election would not bring the national leadership case to an end. "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.
He urged Accord members to remain calm and allow the courts to conclude the process, rejecting any suggestion that political pressure or media campaigns could substitute for a judicial ruling. "Nobody should interfere with the internal leadership crisis of Accord. This is a matter before the courts, and we shall pursue it to its logical and lawful conclusion," Imumolen added.
Imumolen Backs Tinubu for 2027
On the 2027 presidential race, Imumolen said Accord does not have its own candidate and will instead publicly back President Bola Ahmed Tinubu's re-election bid. He described this as a political decision entirely separate from the party's internal legal dispute. "There is absolutely no contradiction between supporting President Tinubu and pursuing the Accord leadership case in court," he stated.
Imumolen also disclosed that his disagreements with elements of the opposing faction preceded the Osun election and included disputes over the management of resources during his 2023 presidential campaign.
Separate Allegations on Osun Election Spending
Meanwhile, Legit.ng reported that former Ekiti governor Ayodele Fayose made the claim in a video interview posted on August 19, 2026, pushing back on Davido's comments. Fayose alleged that over N7.5bn was distributed across local governments and wards just days before the August 15 poll. The former governor also questioned whether the opposition still had any real chance ahead of the 2027 general elections.
