The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), in Osun State has disowned a purported factional Accord Party governorship primary, saying it was not notified of any such exercise following reports of a parallel primary held on Sunday in Osogbo, the state capital.
The disputed primary reportedly saw Bamigbola Clement announced as the faction’s governorship candidate for the August 8, 2026 election. Bamigbola, presented as the sole aspirant, claimed he emerged through a consensus process. However, INEC’s Osun State Public Relations Officer, Musa Olurode, clarified that the commission had no knowledge of this exercise.
“We monitored the Accord Party primary held a few days ago, and our report has already been filed. INEC has no knowledge of any other primary by the party,” Olurode said.
Official Accord Party Primary
The officially recognised Accord Party governorship primary took place last Wednesday in Osogbo, producing Governor Ademola Adeleke as the party’s candidate. According to Abdulazeez Salaudeen, Secretary of the party’s electoral committee, Adeleke secured 145 votes from the 150 accredited delegates, while five votes were voided.
Accord Party Leadership Rejects Factional Move
The caretaker chairman of the Accord Party in Osun State, Babalola Akande, dismissed the factional exercise, insisting its organisers lacked the authority to conduct a primary on behalf of the party. Speaking with journalists, Akande stated that Adeleke remains the legitimate governorship candidate, adding:
“This position is final, lawful, and beyond dispute. No parallel arrangement, impersonation, or stage-managed event can overturn this reality.”
He also warned that the party would pursue legal action against individuals or groups attempting to legitimise or support the factional candidates, describing the move as an attempt by “politically displaced elements seeking a return to relevance through illegitimate means.”
Implications for Osun’s 2026 Governorship Election
This development highlights ongoing internal disputes within the Accord Party, where rival factions contest leadership and candidate nomination processes. INEC’s stance ensures that only officially notified and properly conducted primaries produce candidates whose names can be uploaded for the general election, rendering the factional exercise invalid for electoral purposes.
Political observers note that while the factional primary is unlikely to stand legal scrutiny, such disputes could spark court challenges, potentially affecting the party’s electoral strategy and voter confidence in what promises to be a competitive 2026 governorship race.
For now, the Accord Party’s alignment with INEC reinforces Adeleke’s candidacy as the legitimate nominee, despite simmering factional tensions within the party.