Four days after Governor Ademola Adeleke emerged as the governorship candidate of the Accord Party, another faction of the party held its own governorship primary, where a different candidate was produced.
Mr Clement Bamigbola emerged as the faction’s governorship candidate for the August 8, 2026, Osun State election.
Recall that the party, under the leadership of Mr Maxwell Mgbudem, on Wednesday held a similar exercise which produced Governor Adeleke as the party’s candidate.
However, a faction of the party rejected him, stating that Maxwell Mgbudem is not a legally backed National Chairman of the party.
In a fresh twist, on Sunday, 300 delegates of the Accord Party across Osun State elected Bamigbola as the factional party candidate during the exercise held at Regina Suite, Osogbo.
He emerged after a voice vote by the delegates and the electoral committee.
Olufemi Ogundare was pronounced elected as the candidate of the party for the 2026 poll.
Meanwhile, Pelumi Olajengbesi, convener of the Imole Grassroots Mobilisation Network and a hopeful for the Obokun/Oriade federal constituency seat, has endorsed Governor Adeleke for a second term in the 2026 Osun governorship election, describing the incumbent as having no formidable opposition.
Speaking on Saturday, the Abuja-based lawyer said Adeleke’s chances of winning the August 8 poll remain intact despite his recent defection from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the Accord Party.
Olajengbesi attributed Adeleke’s electoral strength to his longstanding connection with the people of Osun, which he traced back to the governor’s tenure as senator and his current position.
“As far as I am concerned, Governor Ademola Adeleke’s re-election in the August 8, 2026 governorship poll is a walkover, as there is no serious contender in the race who can compete favourably with Adeleke let alone defeat the incumbent governor,” Olajengbesi said. (Guardian)
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