The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in Osun State has denied receiving notification of a parallel governorship primary election reportedly conducted by a faction of the Accord Party.
The event, which took place in Osogbo on Sunday, saw delegates of the faction nominate Bamigbola Clement as their candidate for the August 8, 2026, gubernatorial poll.
The exercise, which began with the accreditation of delegates and was overseen by a large presence of armed police operatives, concluded with Clement emerging as the consensus choice.
“It is true. We had our primary, and I emerged the consensus candidate,” confirmed Bamigbola, the sole aspirant presented.
However, INEC’s Public Relations Officer in the state, Musa Olurode, stated clearly that the commission was “unaware” of the parallel primary.
“We have monitored the only Accord Party primary a few days ago. The report has been submitted. INEC is not aware of any other party’s primary,” he said.
Persecondnews had reported that Osun Governor Ademola Adeleke, formerly of PDP, last Wednesday emerged as the Accord Party candidate for 2026 governorship poll and the only aspirant in the primary.
Reacting swiftly to the parallel primary, Accord Party Caretaker Chairman in Osun State, Babalola Akande, declared that the organizers are not recognized by the party.
Addressing the media on Sunday, Akande maintained that Adeleke is the sole, lawful governorship candidate for the party, stating this position is “incontestable, irreversible, and firmly grounded in law,” due to his emergence via due process, the Electoral Act, and judicial backing.
He urged Osun citizens to ignore the efforts of these “politically displaced actors,” accusing them of resorting to impersonation and sabotage to regain influence through illegitimate means.
Akande said: “We are hearing that the person being used for this purpose is a legal practitioner. That, to us, will make our job easy, as our party will stop at nothing but to report him to the appropriate authorities, including the LPDC.
“We, therefore, make bold to state that any institution or authority that accords recognition, protection, or legitimacy to such impostors or their activities does so at its own legal peril, as the Accord will promptly and decisively invoke necessary judicial intervention to protect its constitutional rights, internal democracy, and the sanctity of the ballot.
“For the final time, and for the sake of emphasis, by virtue of the valid primary election lawfully conducted on Wednesday, 10th December 2025, Governor Ademola Jackson Nurudeen Adeleke is the sole and legally recognised governorship candidate of the Accord in Osun State.
“No parallel structure, no impersonator, and no contrived spectacle can alter this legal reality.”
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