Osun Guber: Accord South-West, National Leadership Disown Fanibe Group, Affirm Adeleke As Sole Candidate
•By OYENIYI KAZEEM
IBADAN – THE South-West stakeholders and national leadership of the Accord Party have unanimously affirmed that the emergence of Osun State Governor, Senator Jackson Ademola Adeleke, as the party’s governorship candidate for the 2026 election remains valid, while formally disowning the Segun Fanibe-led group.
The endorsement followed a crucial South-West stakeholders’ meeting of the party held in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital, on Sunday, December 14, 2025, and chaired by the National Vice Chairman (South-West), Mogaji Paul Igbinsola. At the meeting, leaders resolved lingering internal disagreements and reaffirmed the party’s official position ahead of the forthcoming Osun governorship election.
The development came hours after the Fanibe group announced one Clement Bamigbola as what it described as another governorship candidate of the Accord Party in Osun State, a move the party’s recognised leadership dismissed as null, void and of no consequence.
The meeting was well attended by state chairmen of the party across the South-West, including Engr. Raji Waheed (Oyo State Chairman), Dr. Oyedamola Babarinde (Ekiti), Hon. Azeez Abimbola Falaja (Ogun), Chief (Mrs.) Balogun Titilayo (Ondo), and Mr. Dolapo Tolulope (Osun), among other national and zonal leaders.
Addressing journalists after the meeting, Igbinsola said the two previously warring factions within the Accord Party, under the national leadership of Rev’d John Adeniyi and the Nduibem Maxwell-led National Executive, had reconciled and jointly endorsed Adeleke.
“The two warring factions under the national leadership of Rev’d John Adeniyi and the Nduibem Maxwell have endorsed the candidacy of Governor Ademola Adeleke for the 2026 governorship election in Osun State,” he said.
“We have met, resolved our differences, and agreed to collectively support the candidacy of Ademola Adeleke to fly the ticket of the Accord Party. We have buried the hatchet and united behind his candidacy, having recognised that this was an emergency decision that required the immediate convening of all stakeholders.”
Igbinsola explained that Adeleke’s emergence as the party’s national leader was automatic and constitutionally backed following his defection from the Peoples Democratic Party to Accord.
“As a result of his defection from the PDP to Accord, and in line with our party’s constitution, Ademola Adeleke has automatically become our national leader. Today, we have formally endorsed and approved him as the national leader of our party,” he added.
He further dismissed the activities of the Segun Fanibe-led group, stressing that Fanibe had long ceased to be a member of the party.
“Furthermore, we hereby disown Segun Fanibe, the former chairman of the Accord Party in Osun State between 2016 and 2018. He has since left the party for the All Progressives Congress and has therefore ceased to be a member of Accord. He is no longer associated with the party in any capacity,” Igbinsola declared.
He noted that any action taken by Fanibe or his associates, including the purported adoption of Clement Bamigbola as governorship candidate, lacked legitimacy.
“In view of this development, any kangaroo primary organised by Segun Fanibe or his group is null and void,” he said.
“All factions within the party, across the South-West zone and at the national level, have unanimously endorsed Ademola Adeleke as our candidate and national leader. He has been fully adopted as the leader of the Accord Party,” Igbinsola concluded.