Accord Party Denies Leadership Crisis, Disowns INEC Protest
Translated from English, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.
TLDR
- The Accord Party has dismissed claims of a leadership crisis and denied a protest at the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) headquarters.
- The party stated that no court order supports any rival claim to its national chairmanship.
- Accord emphasized its focus on upcoming elections, including the Ekiti and Osun governorship polls and the 2027 general election, and reaffirmed its national chairman's legitimacy.
The Accord Party is issuing a clear statement to dispel any rumors of internal discord and to set the record straight regarding recent events. We categorically deny any leadership crisis within our ranks and disown the purported protest staged at the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) headquarters. Our party is united, and Barr. Maxwell Mgbudem remains the duly elected National Chairman.
We are compelled to set the record straight to disabuse the minds of unsuspecting compatriots who might think that there is a leadership disagreement in the party.
We are compelled to address these baseless claims, particularly as political activities intensify ahead of crucial elections. The protest at INEC was orchestrated by expelled members attempting to gain public sympathy through fabricated narratives and an alleged, non-existent court order. We question why such an order was not publicly presented if it were legitimate. This is a clear attempt to mislead the public and disrupt our party's focus.
They staged a poorly scripted show with a few ‘sponsored’ individuals at INEC headquarters, Abuja, which saw the expelled former candidate of Accord in the 2023 presidential election, Prof. Christopher Imumolen, seeking to be recognised as chairman of the party based on an imaginary court order.
Our legal standing is firm. The issues raised by individuals like Prof. Christopher Imumolen stem from an ex parte order obtained in August 2024, which was subsequently challenged and ruled upon by the courts. Rulings restored the status quo, and the case was eventually struck out for lack of jurisdiction. Furthermore, Imumolen was expelled from the party in November 2024 for his actions and attempts to usurp leadership. He is no longer a member, and his antics will not distract us.
If there is a court order, they would have carried and displayed it like a trophy instead of carrying awkward placards.
From Nigeria's perspective, political maneuvering and attempts to create artificial crises are unfortunately common tactics. The Accord Party, under Chairman Mgbudem's leadership, is focused on building a strong, unified front for the upcoming Ekiti and Osun governorship elections and the 2027 general election. We urge all party members and the public to be wary of individuals engaging in 'forum shopping' and spreading misinformation. Our energy is directed towards strengthening our base and serving the Nigerian people, not engaging in baseless disputes.
From the above, Imumolen is no longer a member of the party effective 20th November 2024. We will not dissipate energy responding to his antics.
DistantNews Editorial
Originally published by Vanguard in English. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.
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