Crisis Rocks Osun Accord Party as Factions Clash Over Leadership Legitimacy

A fresh leadership crisis has erupted within the Osun State chapter of the Accord Party, with former executives and the current Chairman, Pastor Victor Akande, trading accusations over the legitimacy of the party’s leadership.

At a press conference held on Monday in Osogbo, former members of the state executive council accused Pastor Akande and others of unlawfully occupying party offices beyond their tenure, which they claim expired in March 2025.

Speaking on behalf of the former officials, the immediate past State Secretary, Nasiru Bolarinwa, declared that the Accord Party in Osun has remained without a valid executive committee for over three months.

“Our tenure ended in March this year, and since then, no new executives have been appointed or elected to lead the party,” Bolarinwa said. “It is important to inform the public and party members that there is currently a leadership vacuum in Osun Accord.”

He alleged that Pastor Victor Akande, the immediate past chairman, has continued to parade himself as the current party leader, in defiance of party protocols and without legal backing.

Bolarinwa called on the Inter-Party Advisory Council (IPAC), the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), the Department of State Services (DSS), and the Nigeria Police to disregard any activities or statements issued by Akande in the name of the party.

Echoing Bolarinwa’s position, the former Organising Secretary, Yakub Olayinka, urged all party members to await official communication from the party’s national secretariat before recognising any leadership structure in the state.

“As things stand, there is no legitimate chairman of the Accord Party in Osun. Any individual claiming such should be ignored until the national body communicates a proper directive,” Olayinka said.

He maintained that despite the ongoing leadership dispute, the Accord Party remains active and focused on repositioning itself ahead of future elections.

“We are undeterred. We are working to rebuild trust and prepare for victory in the next Osun elections,” he added.

Former Treasurer Oladapo Joseph also criticised Akande’s leadership, accusing him of fostering disunity and lacking transparency.

“Pastor Akande’s leadership created deep divisions and eroded grassroots structures. But we are not discouraged. We are rebuilding from the bottom up,” Joseph said.

The former executives jointly called for calm among members and urged relevant authorities to recognise only the national leadership until a new state executive council is constituted.

In response, Pastor Victor Akande dismissed the claims made by the former executives, asserting that they were expelled from the party in August 2024.

In a statement made available to journalists, Akande said: “Those individuals are no longer members of the Accord Party. They were expelled last year, and the national leadership is aware of their expulsion.”

He further clarified that there has been no leadership vacuum in the state, revealing that the national secretariat had authorised the constitution of a caretaker committee to manage the party’s affairs.

“Before the expiration of our tenure, we informed the national body, and we were directed to set up a caretaker committee. I remain the chairman in that capacity until a new congress is held,” he stated.

Akande said documents to support this directive had already been submitted to relevant authorities and the public.

The situation has deepened internal tensions within the party, even as stakeholders await a formal resolution from the Accord Party’s national leadership.