Osun State Governor, Ademola Adeleke, has formally emerged as the governorship candidate of the Accord Party for the 2026 governorship election in the state. His emergence followed a party primary in which he stood as the sole aspirant and secured an overwhelming majority of delegate votes to clinch the ticket.
The Accord Party governorship primary held in Osogbo drew delegates from across the state’s three senatorial districts, with 150 delegates accredited for the exercise. Adeleke, who was the only aspirant on the ballot, polled 145 of the 150 votes cast by delegates, with the remaining ballots recorded as either void or abstentions, confirming him as the party’s flagbearer for the August 8, 2026 election. The atmosphere at the venue was described as jubilant, as party members and supporters celebrated what they framed as a unifying choice ahead of the crucial poll.
Adeleke’s candidacy comes on the heels of his resignation from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), where he had been elected governor before an internal crisis fractured the party’s Osun chapter. He formally announced his move to Accord after informing his PDP ward leadership of his decision in a resignation letter dated early November 2025, citing protracted disputes over party leadership and the conduct of primaries.
Addressing supporters at the Government House in Osogbo, he explained that he “joined the Accord Party more than a month ago, precisely on November 6, as a platform to seek re-election in 2026,” adding that the decision followed “weeks of consultation and deliberations with stakeholders and opinion leaders.”
Speaking at the unveiling of his new platform, Adeleke told the crowd that Accord offered an avenue to consolidate what he described as gains recorded under his administration.
“Today, we unveiled the Accord Party, our new platform for the good people of Osun State. From Osun West to Osun East to Osun Central, this is our party, our new platform for victory come August next year,” he said, promising to deepen programmes targeted at workers, youths and vulnerable groups.
He stressed that, “As a governor, I have prioritised the welfare of our people, from workers to the entire citizenry. Day and night, we implement policies and programmes to elevate the well-being of our people,” insisting that his re-election bid would focus on continuity and inclusive development.
Leaders of Accord in Osun framed Adeleke’s entry and emergence as a sign of the party’s readiness to challenge the major parties in the state.
The caretaker chairman of the party in Osun, Victor Akande, said ahead of the primary that 150 delegates would elect the governor as the party’s candidate, describing him as the sole aspirant cleared for the contest.
Party officials further disclosed that Adeleke had “met all requirements” and that the waiver earlier promised to him was activated to enable him vie for the ticket immediately after his defection.
Adeleke’s emergence on the Accord platform is expected to significantly alter the configuration of the 2026 governorship race in Osun.
His departure from the PDP came at a time the party was struggling with internal leadership disputes that had already stalled its own primary, raising questions over whether it can quickly reorganise to present a strong candidate before the deadline for submission of names to the electoral commission.
Political observers note that the presence of a sitting governor on the ticket of a smaller party could draw new alliances and defections in the coming months, even as rival parties watch to see whether other Accord stakeholders fully rally behind his candidacy or challenge the process in court or within the party structure.
