The national chairman of the Accord, Barrister Maxwell Mgbudem, has dismissed the report in the media that the party has adopted President Bola Tinubu as its candidate, saying the party’s candidate will emerge after the primaries.
Mgbudem revealed this during a press conference at the Accord’s national secretariat on Thursday in Abuja, where he was making clarification on the true state of the party and, in particular, about the claim by the party’s 2023 presidential candidate, Professor Christopher Imumolen, who he (Mgbudem) said has been expelled from Accord on 20th November, 2024.
Reacting to the adoption of his party as the presidential candidate for the 2027 general elections, the party chairman said, “Accord has not endorsed any candidate, and if there is any endorsement, I assure you, you will be the first to know. It will come from here. We just finished our NEC meeting, and we’re still working on modalities on how to go about the 2027 elections. And we have released our timetable, our nomination fees, and a lot of people have purchased forms for various positions. And I assure you if there is such a thing (endorsement), the media will be the first to know from us.”
“Every political party just released their timetable, and their nomination fees and aspirants for now are purchasing forms. You cannot say so so and so is a candidate. A candidate will emerge after primaries. Every other person is an aspirant,” Mgbudem added.
On the state of the party, Mgbudem said there is no faction in the party as Accord remains an indivisible entity adding that the press conference was to put the record straight and let the general public and Nigerians know the true picture of things in the party. He stated that Imumolen was only seeking cheap publicity, challenging him to present any court order against the Accord Party to the public.
He added that the party is more focused on the upcoming governorship elections in Osun and Ekiti States and the 2027 general elections and will not be distracted by any antics from Imumolen.
Tribune Online reports that Imumolen had on April 21st, 2026, staged a protest to the national headquarters of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) seeking to be recognised as national chairman of the party.
Mgbudem stated, “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. If there is a court order, Imumolen would have carried and displayed it like a trophy instead of carrying an awkward placard. He failed to provide the purported court order to Journalists he invited for their news reports as it exists in his fertile imagination after a political hallucination of becoming the Accord chairman, which remains what it is, a mere dream.
“What Imumolen still parades as a court order was an ex parte order he misled an FCT High Court to obtain on 3rd August 2024, foisted himself as chairman and broke into the party national secretariat on Saturday, 31st August 2024. The national leadership of the party quickly approached the court and filed Motion No. M/11943/2024, seeking for an order of court to set aside the order of court obtained by fraud. On 2nd September 2024, Hon. Justice M. M. Adamu of the FCT High Court Vacation Court 3, ruled: “It shall be noted that Interim Orders lapse after Seven days, from there I Order for status quo to be maintained pending the outcome of the Motion on Notice.” The national leadership also filed Motion No. FCT/12032/2024, dated 4th September 2024, and equally filed a Motion Ex Parte seeking an order of interim injunction restraining Imumolen and his co-travellers from summoning and conducting any National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting of Accord pending the hearing and determination of the Motion on Notice No. M/11962/2024 and Notice of Preliminary Objection already filed and served.
“If Imumolen’s aim is to give public impression that there is a leadership dispute or faction in Accord, he failed woefully. Nigerians know that there is no faction in Accord as members are united in support of the authentic National Chairman of the party, Barrister Maxwell Mgbuden duly elected in the party’s national convention held at Nicon Luxury Hotel Abuja, on Sunday, 28th July 2024, and monitored by INEC. Professor Imumolen did not participate in the convention which was widely reported in national media.”
He added, “Accordingly, Accord dissociates itself from Imumolen’s misplaced showmanship at INEC headquarters. It did not emanate from the party. Imumolen’s distraction has been adequately addressed by the party as equally reported in the national media. We will not dissipate energy responding to the antics of a failed politician.
“Accord is focused on the forthcoming Ekiti and Osun States gubernatorial elections and the 2027 general polls. As the ruling party in Osun State, Accord is strongly determined to provide the fruits of democracy to the people and has been receiving thousands of citizens who recently joined our great party. Accord remains the most peaceful party in Nigeria. It has become the beautiful bride of Nigerian democracy and the fastest growing political party in the country since His Excellency, Senator Ademola Adeleke joined Accord along with his his political associates and supporters.”
Accord national chairman however boasted that Governor Ademola Adeleke will win the Osun governorship poll by a wide margin saying the governor’s achievements, antecedents and performances will speak for him on the election day adding that he’s well loved by the people of the state.
“He has performed wonderfully well and people love him. And the people are eager to vote for him for his second tenure. This election is for the masses not election for the few. The masses are the one going to the poll to elect their choice governor. And I assure you, on the inauguration day, I will invite you to come and cover the process. We refuse to be distracted by the opposition. Adeleke is fully on ground and his achievements and performances speak for him. And I assure you, Adeleke is going to win with a very wide margin because he has performed.
“Governor Adeleke also attracted eminent citizens to the party including a Senator, House of Representatives and State House of Assembly members. The Osun State Chapter of PDP also adopted Senator Ademola Adeleke as its governorship candidate for the 15th August, 2027 gubernatorial poll. The overwhelming support for the re-election of our action governor in Osun State is unprecedented in the history of the state. We urge Nigerians to join Accord. It is essential that citizens be in one accord in the interest of the nation,” Mgbudem concluded.
Source: Tribune Online NG
