Accord leadership crisis will be pursued to lawful conclusion — Factional Chairman

Factional National Chairman of Accord Party, Prof. Chris Imumolen, has declared that the victory of the Osun State Governor Ademola Adeleke on the platform of the party has not ended its leadership tussle, vowing that the crisis will take its legal course.

Imumolen urged party members, supporters and stakeholders across the country to remain calm, law-abiding and allow the judicial process to run its course, adding that is the only way to know the authentic leadership of the party.

Addressing a press conference in Abuja, the factional chairman cautioned politicians not to confuse the victory of Adeleke with the party’s leadership crisis which has been raging even before the governor joined the party.

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--> He recalled that on August 29, 2024, the Federal Capital Territory, High Court, presided over by Justice M. M. Adamu, issued an interim order in the suit involving himself against Maxwell Mgbudem and others.

--> Imumolen said that the court had directed the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to recognise him as the National Chairman pending the determination of the substantive suit.

According to him, “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. Let me therefore make this absolutely clear, that Osun election is an election. The Accord leadership dispute is a national party and legal matter. They are two different issues.”

He insisted that the Osun election had come and gone, but “the national leadership question within Accord remains a matter to be determined through the appropriate legal process. Even with the conclusion of the Osun election, the Accord leadership case will continue.

“It is therefore wrong for anyone to suggest that the outcome of the Osun election will automatically determine who leads Accord nationally.

“Accord is a national political party. Its national leadership cannot be reduced to the political circumstances or outcome of an election in one state,” he said.

He called on all stakeholders to allow the courts to do their work, “Nobody should attempt to settle the national leadership question through the outcome of the Osun election, political pressure, media propaganda or unilateral declarations.

“Our commitment to Accord remains intact. Our commitment to the rule of law remains absolute. We shall continue to pursue the judicial process until the legitimate leadership question is finally settled,” he said.