The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in Osun State has distanced itself from a parallel governorship primary reportedly conducted by a faction of the Accord Party on Sunday, stating that it was neither notified nor involved in the exercise.
A faction of the party held the disputed primary in Osogbo, where Clement Bamigbola emerged as the candidate for the August 8, 2026, governorship election through a consensus process involving delegates.
However, INEC's Public Relations Officer in Osun, Musa Olurode, clarified that the commission only monitored and reported on the official Accord Party primary held earlier in the week, which produced incumbent Governor Ademola Adeleke as the candidate.
"We monitored the Accord Party primary a few days ago, and our report has been submitted. INEC has no knowledge of any other primary by the party," Olurode said.
The Osun State chapter of the Accord Party, led by caretaker Chairman Pastor Victor Akande (also referred to as Babalola Akande in some reports), dismissed the factional exercise as illegitimate, alleging it was orchestrated by opponents, including proxies linked to the All Progressives Congress (APC), to create confusion.
Akande emphasized that Governor Adeleke remains the party's sole and legally recognized candidate, having emerged from a valid primary on December 10, 2025, in compliance with party rules and the Electoral Act.
The development highlights ongoing internal disputes within the Accord Party ahead of the 2026 poll, as Governor Adeleke recently defected from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the platform.
Click to signup for FREE news updates, latest information and hottest gists everyday
Advertise on NigerianEye.com to reach thousands of our daily users
No comments
Post a Comment
Kindly drop a comment below.
(Comments are moderated. Clean comments will be approved immediately)
Advert Enquires - Reach out to us at NigerianEye@gmail.com