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The political survival of candidates flying the flag of the Accord Party in Osun State, including Senators Lere Oyewunmi, Abdulganiyu Olaoluwa and Ibukun Fadipe, popularly known as Ibk, is in deep uncertainty following a landmark ruling by the High Court in Abuja on the leadership of the party and the dynamics of presidential candidacy.
Although the court’s decision provided a favorable outcome for the party’s presidential candidate, internal stakeholders warned that the legal and administrative loopholes exposed in the case could seriously jeopardize the legitimacy of all other candidates in the party’s platform.
Reactions continued to follow the decision, with prominent party figures voicing strong concerns over the systemic chaos and procedural flaws that characterized the nomination of candidates in various state chapters.
Speaking on the implications of the verdict, Yusuf Adegboye, one of the leading figures in the Accord Liberation Movement, described the verdict as a clear reflection of the deep divisions that divide the party.
“This verdict is a clear testimony to the divisions within our party and is a sure sign of what is to come in the critical weeks ahead,” Adegboye said.
He stressed that while the defendants have the legal right to challenge the ruling on appeal, the undeniable reality is that the party lacks internal cohesion – a vulnerability that threatens the political fate of every candidate running for office.
According to Adegboye, the root cause of this crisis stems from the arbitrary nomination process, as well as the sudden entry and takeover of party structures by political outsiders.
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“The mode of nomination within the party and the reckless incursion by foreign elements to hijack the party structure could lead to major disappointment for all our candidates,” Adegboye warned. “You can’t join a political party overnight, hijack all existing structures, and completely ignore the laws, regulations, and statutory guidelines that govern primaries.”
Painting a gloomy picture for those currently claiming party tickets, he added: “I pity those who assume they currently have a valid party ticket. They will probably realize that their ticket is no better than a cinema ticket in the coming weeks.”
Adegboye further warned that the nomination of candidates is a crucial and non-negotiable phase in the electoral cycle under the Nigerian Elections Law, and stressed that any procedural errors, invalid primaries or incorrect filings could legally invalidate the affected candidate pairs.
Similar to previous electoral disasters in Nigeria’s political history, Adegboye reminded party supporters of the valuable lessons learned from other political platforms in recent years.
“We have seen what happened in Zamfara and Plateau states, where political parties suffered crushing defeats and lost hard-won victories despite massive wins in the elections,” Adegboye warned. “The law is clear: if your candidacy is found to be legally invalid, your score will not count, no matter how popular you are on election day.”
As anxiety deepens among candidates and supporters across Osun State, political analysts note that if the Accord Party leadership does not quickly resolve its structural and nomination crisis, the party risks being completely disqualified from meaningful participation in the upcoming elections.
