Accord Party Denies Endorsing Alex Otti For Second Term

The national leadership of Accord Party has denied reports that it endorsed the re-election bid of Governor Alex Otti ahead of the 2027 governorship election in Abia State.

In a press release issued by the party’s National Secretariat in Abuja, the party stated that it neither authorised nor directed its Abia State chapter to support the ruling Labour Party or Governor Otti’s second-term ambition.

The party also declared that Christopher Imumolen and his associates are no longer members of Accord, saying they were expelled from the party in 2024 over alleged anti-party activities.

According to the statement signed by the party’s national publicity secretary, Joseph Omorogbe, the group’s recent visit to Governor Otti at the Government House in Umuahia, where they reportedly endorsed the governor for a second term, was “null, void and of no effect whatsoever.”

The party accused Imumolen and his associates of impersonating the leadership of Accord and misleading members of the public through what it described as “showmanship.”

“It is obvious that non-members of a political party cannot speak, act, or endorse any aspirant for any elective position on behalf of the authentic leadership of the party,” the statement said.

Accord further described the individuals involved as “political mercenaries roaming the democratic space seeking vulnerable politicians to exploit in this election season.”

The party maintained that the authentic national chairman of Accord remains Maxwell Mgbuden, whose leadership is officially recognised by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

It added that only the National Executive Committee led by Mgbuden has the constitutional authority to present candidates for elections at all levels.

The party urged Nigerians to disregard the purported endorsement of Governor Otti, insisting that the action was aimed at causing division and confusion within the party.

Accord also advised journalists to verify the authentic leadership of political parties with INEC before publishing reports in order to avoid misleading the public.

The statement affirmed that the party remains united under the leadership of Barrister Maxwell Mgbuden and is prepared for future elections.