By Lateef Ibrahim, Abuja
A factional National Chairman of Accord, Prof. Chris Imumolen has declared that the coming of Governor Ademola Adeleke to the party caused more harm than good.
He categorically called the movement of Adeleke to Accord a disaster.
Prof. Imumolen said this at a press conference on Friday in Abuja during which he spoke on the crisis bedeviling the party.
Imumolen, who was the presidential candidate of the Accord during the 2023 general election, equally disclosed that the party (Accord) has no presidential flag bearer for the 2027 election, stressing that the party has resolved to fully support the re-election bid of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
Commenting on the issue of Governor Adeleke joined the Accord, where he contested and won his reelection recently, the factional national Chairman said, “Governor Adeleke’s coming to the party became a disaster. He did not harmonize the party, he disunited the party, and he took side with one faction, it’s not supposed to be so”.
Prof. Imumolen, who is challenging Maxwell Mgbudem for the national chairmanship of Accord, explained that an Abuja Federal High Court, presided over by Justice M.M. Adamu, on August 29, 2024, directed the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), to recognise him as Accord Party National Chairman pending the hearing and determination of the substantive suit.
The claimant who was the 2023 presidential candidate of the party, warned that the outcome of Osun governorship election cannot determine the leadership tussle of Accord Party.
According to him, “the legal process was already underway long before Governor Ademola Adeleke joined Accord.
“When Governor Adeleke eventually joined the party, rather than first seeking to understand and harmonise the contending leadership structures, he unfortunately took sides with one faction.”
Imumolen noted with regrets that all the efforts he made to engage Governor Adeleke when he joined the party, to find a political and internal resolution to the leadership crisis, did not produce desired result.
His words, “As I have consistently maintained, the proper place to determine who is legally entitled to lead Accord is the court, not the street, not political propaganda and not an election campaign.
“The Osun election is an election. The Accord leadership is a national party and legal matter. They are two different issues,” Prof. Imumolen stated.
He however said his faction is adopting President Bola Tinubu as its candidate for the 2027 presidential election.
Governor Adeleke has also declared support to Tinubu’s reelection. But Imumolen said there is no contradiction between supporting President Tinubu and pursuing the Accord leadership case in court.
Said he, “Our presidential position is a political decision. The Accord leadership dispute is a legal and internal party matter. One does not cancel the other.”.
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