Accord Has No Faction, Remains United — Mgbudem

The National Chairman of the Accord Party, Maxwell Mgbudem, has reaffirmed that the party remains united, insisting there is no division at any level of its leadership.

Addressing a press conference on Tuesday at the party’s national secretariat in Abuja, Mgbudem accused the party’s former presidential candidate, Christopher Imumolen, of peddling falsehoods in the media following his expulsion from the party.

According to the national chairman, Imumolen no longer holds any authority within the party, having been expelled for gross misconduct and anti-party activities.

“I state categorically that Accord is the most peaceful, stable, united, progressive and fastest-growing political party in Nigeria today,” he said.

He added that, “Accord has no faction at any levels of leadership. The party remains focused and unwavering in its commitment to democratic values, ethics, ideology and internal democracy, and will not be distracted by the antics of anti-democratic and reactionary forces seeking cheap publicity and stomach infrastructure for personal aggrandisement.”

He further dismissed recent claims credited to Imumolen, including assertions that he is the party’s national chairman and that he nominated a governorship candidate for Osun State, describing them as false and misleading.

Mgbudem explained that Senator Ademola Adeleke emerged as the party’s governorship candidate in Osun State through a duly conducted primary election monitored by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), noting that the process was transparent and widely covered by the media.

He further stated that members of the National Working Committee (NWC) elected at the party’s national convention held in Abuja on July 28, 2024, emerged in strict compliance with the party’s constitution, the Electoral Act and INEC guidelines.

According to him, Imumolen neither attended the convention nor participated in the screening process but instead approached the court through an ex parte motion in a bid to declare himself as the national chairman.

Mgbudem said the court subsequently ordered Imumolen and his associates to vacate the party’s national secretariat while maintaining the status quo, pending the determination of substantive motions before it.

He added that a disciplinary committee constituted by the party later found the former presidential candidate guilty of gross misconduct and recommended his expulsion, a decision unanimously ratified by the National Executive Committee (NEC) in November 2024.

“The NEC passed a vote of confidence in the current leadership and reaffirmed that INEC and other stakeholders recognise this leadership,” Mgbudem said.

He noted that subsequent court rulings dismissed Imumolen’s suits, stressing that leadership disputes within political parties are considered internal matters by the courts.

Mgbudem assured that Accord would not be distracted by what he described as “political jobbers seeking relevance,” stressing that the party is firmly focused on forthcoming elections.

“Our attention is on Osun, Ekiti, the FCT area councils and preparations for the 2027 general election,” he added.