Prof. Chris Imumolen, the National Chairman of the Accord Party, has dismissed claims linking the party's leadership dispute to the recent Osun State governorship election. He emphasized that the leadership crisis is a national legal issue that predates the involvement of Osun Governor Ademola Adeleke in the party.

In a statement issued from Abuja, Imumolen clarified that a court order from August 2024 already recognized him as the legitimate National Chairman of the Accord Party. He stated, "Nobody should interfere with the internal leadership crisis of Accord. This is a matter before the courts, and we shall pursue it to its logical and lawful conclusion." He pointed out that the leadership dispute is distinct from any electoral outcomes and should not be conflated with the governorship election results.

Imumolen traced the roots of the crisis back to 2024, well before Adeleke joined the Accord Party. He highlighted that on August 29, 2024, the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory issued an interim order directing the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to acknowledge him as the National Chairman pending the resolution of the substantive case. The court also prohibited the opposing faction from conducting party congresses or presenting itself as the National Executive Committee during the ongoing legal proceedings.

The chairman expressed disappointment over Adeleke's alignment with the rival faction upon joining the party, suggesting that the governor did not take the time to understand the existing structures within Accord. Attempts to mediate the dispute with former Osun Governor Chief Olagunsoye Oyinlola and others did not yield a resolution, leading to separate primaries in Osun State that produced different candidates.

Imumolen also noted that the disagreements with the opposing faction were not solely related to the Osun election but also stemmed from disputes regarding resource management during his 2023 presidential campaign. He firmly stated that the conclusion of the Osun election would not resolve the national leadership issue, asserting, "The Osun election will come and go. Whichever candidate wins or loses, the national leadership question within Accord remains a matter to be determined through the appropriate legal process."

Furthermore, Imumolen announced the Accord Party's endorsement of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu's re-election campaign for 2027, clarifying that this political decision is separate from the ongoing internal leadership dispute. He remarked, "There is absolutely no contradiction between supporting President Tinubu and pursuing the Accord leadership case in court."

As the political landscape evolves, Imumolen urged members of the Accord Party to remain patient and allow the courts to resolve the leadership crisis without succumbing to external pressures or media influence.