Governor Ademola Adeleke Formally Joins the Accord Party

Governor Ademola Adeleke Formally Joins the Accord Party

A Strategic Realignment Ahead of the 2026 Osun Gubernatorial Election

In a development that has significant implications for the political configuration of Osun State and the broader South-West geopolitical zone, the Executive Governor of Osun State, Senator Ademola Adeleke, on Tuesday, 9 December 2025, formally announced his membership of the Accord Party (Accord). The declaration, made at the Banquet Hall of the Government House, Osogbo, marks the culmination of weeks of intense consultations and effectively positions the governor to seek re-election in August 2026 on the platform of a party that has, until now, operated on the margins of Nigeria’s two-party-dominated political space.

The Official Declaration

Addressing a well-attended ceremony that included the national leadership of Accord, members of the Osun State Executive Council, traditional rulers, party stakeholders, and civil society representatives, Governor Adeleke disclosed that he had quietly registered as a member of the Accord Party on 6 November 2025.

According to TVC News, the formal public presentation of his membership card was therefore the consummation of a decision taken after exhaustive deliberations across the state’s three senatorial districts.

“In keeping with the expressed wishes of critical stakeholders and in deference to the yearnings of the overwhelming majority of the people of Osun State, I have decided to adopt the Accord Party as the vehicle for the continuation of our people-centred governance,” the governor stated. He emphasised that the decision was informed by the need to guarantee stability, inclusiveness, and uninterrupted delivery of democratic dividends in the remaining years of his administration and beyond.

The national chairman of Accord, Mr Maxwell Olly, who received the governor into the party, described the development as “a historic moment for progressive politics in Nigeria.” He expressed confidence that Governor Adeleke’s leadership would elevate Accord into a formidable national platform.

Background to the Defection

Governor Adeleke’s departure from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), the platform on which he was elected in July 2022, had been widely anticipated following irreconcilable differences within the Osun chapter of the party. The governor tendered his resignation from the PDP on 1 December 2025, citing the inability of the party’s internal conflict-resolution mechanisms to address long-standing grievances that were adversely affecting governance.

Political observers note that the crisis in the Osun PDP had deepened over issues ranging from the composition of the State Working Committee to the management of party primaries and the distribution of political appointments. Efforts at reconciliation, including interventions by the national leadership of the PDP and elder statesmen from the South-West, failed to yield the desired unity. (The Cable)

Speculation that Governor Adeleke might return to the All Progressives Congress (APC), the party under which his late elder brother, Senator Isiaka Adeleke, served as the first elected governor of the state in 1992 was firmly laid to rest when high-level consultations reportedly collapsed over entrenched interests within the APC’s Osun structure.

Why Accord?

In explaining his choice of Accord, Governor Adeleke highlighted the party’s ideological clarity and its commitment to welfarism, grassroots empowerment, and accountable governance. “Since my quiet enrolment last month, I have studied the manifesto and operational philosophy of Accord and found a perfect congruence with the five-point agenda my administration has pursued since November 2022,” he said.

Established in 2006 by former Ogun State governor Olusegun Osoba and later revitalised under its current leadership, Accord has historically positioned itself as a progressive alternative that prioritises human capital development and infrastructural renewal without the baggage of the dominant parties’ internal contradictions.

Governance Record as Campaign Capital

Governor Adeleke’s decision to seek a second term is anchored on a performance scorecard that his administration believes will resonate with the electorate. Key achievements cited include:

•  Completion and commissioning of over 120 kilometres of intra-state roads, including the flagship Osogbo–Gbongan dualisation project;

•  Payment of over ₦30 billion in inherited pension and gratuity arrears;

•  Revitalisation of 345 primary healthcare centres across the state’s 332 wards;

•  Restoration of free education policy, including the abolition of discriminatory fees and the provision of instructional materials;

•  Significant reduction of the state’s domestic and external debt profile through prudent financial management;

•  Aggressive promotion of agro-industrial programmes, notably the ongoing regeneration of the Cocoa Industry and the establishment of farm estates.

Independent assessments by civil society organisations have acknowledged measurable improvements in infrastructure and workers’ welfare, although critics continue to highlight challenges in youth employment and the pace of industrialisation.

Political Implications

1.  For the PDP: The defection of a sitting governor elected less than three years ago represents a severe blow to the PDP’s claim as the leading opposition platform in the South-West. Coming shortly after similar high-profile exits in other states, it further exposes the party’s structural fragility ahead of the 2027 general elections.

2.  For the APC: While the ruling party at the centre avoids an immediate intra-party succession crisis in Osun, Governor Adeleke’s continued incumbency under a different platform complicates its strategy to reclaim the state it lost in 2022.

3.  For Accord: Overnight, the party has acquired its most prominent elected official and a realistic prospect of governing one of Nigeria’s culturally significant states. Success in Osun 2026 could catalyse Accord’s transformation into a genuine third force.

The Road to 2026

The Accord Party has scheduled its governorship primary for 10–11 December 2025, barely 24 hours after the governor’s formal presentation. Party sources indicate that Governor Adeleke is likely to emerge as the sole aspirant or consensus candidate, paving the way for an early and unified campaign.

Legal and constitutional questions regarding the governor’s continued tenure following his change of party have been raised in some quarters. However, Section 109 of the 1999 Constitution (as amended) provides that a governor can only be removed via impeachment or resignation, neither of which applies in cases of voluntary defection. Precedents set by Governors Dave Umahi (Ebonyi) and Bello Matawalle (Zamfara) in 2021–2022 further affirm that a sitting governor retains office irrespective of party affiliation.

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Conclusion

Governor Ademola Adeleke’s formal adoption of the Accord Party is more than a personal political manoeuvre; it is a statement on the fluidity of Nigeria’s party system and the premium placed on pragmatic governance over rigid partisan loyalty. As Osun State approaches another defining electoral contest in 2026, the electorate will ultimately determine whether continuity under a new platform outweighs the appeal of change or a return to older political formations.

For now, the “Imole” (light) agenda that has defined the Adeleke administration since 2022 will seek revalidation under the distinctive thumb-up symbol of Accord, a development that has undeniably altered the contours of politics in the State of the Living Spring.