A faction of the Accord Party has criticised the Independent National Electoral Commission over its decision to reject one of the party’s governorship primaries conducted in Osun State ahead of the 2026 election. The faction, led by former presidential candidate Professor Chris Imumolen, said the electoral body acted wrongly by disowning its primary while accepting another held by a rival group within the party.
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The disagreement followed the conduct of two separate primaries by different factions of the Accord Party. The Imumolen-led group organised a primary that produced Bamigbola Clement as its candidate for the August 8, 2026 governorship election. Another faction, led by Isaac Adeniyi, also held a primary that resulted in Governor Ademola Adeleke emerging as its flag bearer. INEC later accepted the outcome of the Adeniyi-led exercise and stated that it had no knowledge of the primary that produced Clement.
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Reacting to the development, the Imumolen faction said it fully complied with the Electoral Act by notifying INEC of its primary. In a statement issued on Monday by the party’s National Secretary, Muktar Abdalla, the faction argued that the problem arose from internal handling of documents within INEC, not from any failure on the part of the party. It stated that notification of the primary was sent to INEC headquarters and duly acknowledged, with proof of submission still available.
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The faction maintained that the law only requires political parties to notify INEC of their primaries and obtain acknowledgement, adding that internal communication within the commission is not the responsibility of the party. It said any failure to process or circulate the information within INEC should not be used to invalidate its primary.
The group also accused INEC of ignoring a court order that recognises Professor Imumolen as the national chairman of the Accord Party. It noted that the leadership dispute within the party is already before a court and is scheduled for hearing in January. According to the faction, it is wrong for INEC to take positions that may affect a matter still under judicial consideration.
The Accord Party faction reaffirmed its commitment to lawful processes and internal democracy. It called on INEC to improve its record-keeping and communication systems and to respect court decisions while political disputes are being resolved through legal means.
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