By Luminous Jannamike, Abuja
ACCORD Party has embarked on a sweeping reconfiguration of its Osun State structures, a move that has intensified speculation over whether Governor Ademola Adeleke may be weighing the party as a potential platform for his 2026 re-election bid.
Though neither Adeleke nor Accord has confirmed the rumour, the party’s latest decisions have taken on added political significance as Osun’s governorship race begins to crystallise.
The development followed the party’s National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting held at the Nicon Luxury Hotel, Abuja, attended by National Chairman Barr. Maxwell Mgbudem, members of the National Working Committee (NWC), chairmen from the 36 states and the FCT, and monitored by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
In his address to the gathering, Mgbudem declared that the party had entered a new phase of consolidation and unity nationwide.
“Accord has no faction anywhere, neither at the national nor at the state levels. We remain one united, indivisible family, firmly guided by our ideology of Oneness and Progress,” he said.
Central to the NEC resolutions was the approval of a new Caretaker Committee for the Osun State chapter, with Pastor Victor Akande appointed chairman following the expiration of the outgoing leadership’s tenure.
The party also adopted the electoral guidelines for its forthcoming Osun governorship primaries and constituted the committee that will supervise the 2026 exercise, moves supporters of the party say could create an opening for any high-profile entrant.
Mgbudem stressed that Accord’s structures are being strengthened to accommodate credible and visionary Nigerians seeking a disciplined and stable political platform.
“Our membership growth has been organic, genuine, and reflective of the trust Nigerians now place in our leadership.
“We will not tolerate any individual whose actions or utterances seek to undermine the harmony, stability, and unity of the party,” he said.
In a resolution likely to further fuel the Adeleke speculation, NEC approved a general waiver for Nigerians who recently joined the party and who desire to contest elections on its platform, a decision party supporters say removes procedural hurdles for any late arrival into the race.
Additionally, NEC established Women’s and Youth Directorates at the national, zonal, state, local government, ward, and polling unit levels to drive grassroots mobilisation ahead of major elections, including the 2026 FCT council polls, the Ekiti and Osun governorship contests, and the 2027 general elections.
The committee also lifted earlier suspensions imposed on some Osun members, saying the gesture aligns with Accord’s motto of Oneness and Progress as the state approaches a critical election year.
“The Accord we are building together is one defined by competence, stability, inclusiveness, and purposeful leadership,” Mgbudem told NEC members.
NEC went further to pass a vote of confidence in the national chairman, reaffirming the authenticity of his leadership and insisting that the party remain faction-free.
Meanwhile, amid rising chatter over Adeleke’s political calculations, should internal frictions persist in his current base, Accord urged its members nationwide to stay focused and not be distracted by ‘reactionary’ forces.
“We have refused to be distracted by political jobbers or individuals seeking relevance through mischief,” the chairman said.
The party charged its members to sustain unity, discipline, and loyalty as Accord positions itself to be a competitive force in forthcoming elections across the country.
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