Osun 2026: Accord Party in Turmoil as Adeleke and Bamigbola Emerge Rival Candidates

Osogbo – The Accord Party’s ambitions for the 2026 Osun State governorship election have hit a snag, with two rival candidates now laying claim to the party’s ticket amid accusations of imposition and sabotage.

Clement Bamigbola, a prominent party stalwart and former aspirant, was declared the official governorship candidate by a faction of Accord Party executives in Osun State on Saturday. This came just a day after Governor Ademola Adeleke, who defected from the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) on Thursday, was endorsed as the party’s flagbearer by another group during a parallel primary.

The rift deepened when Bamigbola’s supporters, led by state party chairman Olatunji Abimbola, alleged that Adeleke’s emergence was a “midnight imposition” orchestrated without consulting key stakeholders. “Governor Adeleke was smuggled in without primaries or stakeholder buy-in. This is anti-party and illegal,” Abimbola told reporters in Osogbo, vowing to challenge the move in court.

Eyewitnesses described chaotic scenes at the party’s state secretariat, where rival groups clashed verbally over control of party documents. Bamigbola’s camp claims endorsement from the national leadership, citing a December 12 directive from Accord’s National Executive Committee (NEC) prioritizing internal primaries.

Conversely, Adeleke’s backers, including youth leader Hon. Kayode Sanyaolu, dismissed the Bamigbola faction as “fifth columnists” sponsored by opposition parties terrified of the governor’s popularity. “Osun loves Dr. Adeleke. This is a desperate plot by APC and others to fracture our momentum,” Sanyaolu said, pointing to Adeleke’s 2022 upset victory over APC’s Gboyega Oyetola.

Adeleke’s dramatic decamping from PDP followed months of speculation fueled by his frosty relationship with PDP national leaders, including President Bola Tinubu’s APC administration. Sources close to the governor say his Accord move aims to consolidate his “Imole” movement ahead of 2026, leveraging the party’s lesser scrutiny compared to major parties.

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The Accord Party, founded in 2002 as a platform for progressive politics, has struggled for relevance in Osun, winning no major seats since 2019. Its national chairman, Maxwell Oladimeji, has remained silent, but party insiders predict an NEC meeting this week to resolve the impasse. Legal experts note that INEC guidelines require a single candidate per party by April 2026, potentially forcing arbitration or disqualification.

Political analysts view the schism as a boon for APC’s Oyetola, who is eyeing a comeback, and Labour Party contenders. “Accord’s internal war dilutes Adeleke’s strategy to flank PDP,” said Dr. Wole Ogunleye, a lecturer at Obafemi Awolowo University.

As stakeholders jostle, Osun’s 2026 race – pitting incumbency against incumbents – grows more unpredictable. Both camps have appealed for unity, but with primaries unresolved, the Accord Party risks entering the election ballot fragmented.