Osun State Governor Ademola Adeleke has been formally cleared as the sole gubernatorial candidate of the Accord Party, marking a seamless step in his bid for re-election in the August 2026 governorship election. The party’s primary, held on Wednesday in Osogbo, ratified his candidacy just days after his public defection from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
Adeleke had quietly initiated his exit from the PDP on November 6, 2025, citing persistent national leadership crises within the party. In a resignation letter dated November 4 and addressed to the PDP Ward 2 Chairman in Ede North Local Government Area, he stated his reasons for leaving. His departure comes amid internal turmoil in the Osun PDP, which had already seen a factional primary produce Adedamola Adebayo (Fryo) as the candidate for one wing of the party on December 2.
At the Accord Party primary, 150 delegates—five from each of Osun’s 30 local government areas—gathered to affirm Adeleke’s nomination. Pastor Victor Akande, Osun State Accord Party Chairman, confirmed that the governor met all requirements for the ticket.
“Governor Ademola Adeleke is our sole candidate for the 2026 governorship election. We are declaring him today,” Akande said, emphasizing the party’s unity and readiness for the contest.
The screening process was overseen by the party’s National Screening Committee, led by Elder Ibe Thankgod, also the national organizing secretary. Adeleke received a certificate of clearance, with Thankgod describing him as a “worthy gubernatorial aspirant” who had fulfilled all nomination requirements.
In response, Adeleke thanked the committee and party leadership, reaffirming his commitment to the Accord Party.
“I am ready for the primary and I am ready for the general elections. We are winning by God’s grace,” he said.
Adeleke’s switch to the Accord Party aligns with his administration’s focus on welfare, a core tenet of the party’s ideology symbolized by its “Thumb-Up” emblem. Since taking office in 2022, his government has prioritized workers’ welfare, infrastructure, and social services—initiatives he cited as motivation for the move.
“We opted for the Accord Party because its mission of welfarism aligns with our focus on citizens’ and workers’ welfare,” Adeleke said during his announcement on December 9 at the Government House Banquet Hall in Osogbo.
Preparations for the primary began earlier in December when the Accord Party’s National Executive Committee (NEC) approved electoral guidelines and constituted an Electoral Committee to ensure a credible process. A caretaker committee for the Osun chapter was appointed, with Pastor Victor Akande as chairman following the expiration of the previous leadership’s tenure. The process was monitored by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
Adeleke’s defection reshapes Osun’s political landscape ahead of a heated election cycle. The All Progressives Congress (APC) held ward congresses on December 9, electing 1,660 delegates for its primary on December 13, with aspirants including Bola Oyebamiji and Mulikat Abiola cleared to run. Meanwhile, the PDP remains divided, with its Wike-backed faction yet to finalize a candidate.
Accord Party National Chairman Maxwell Mgbudem pledged full support for Adeleke, calling the partnership a “bold statement” for victory. The NEC also lifted suspensions of some Osun members to foster unity and passed a vote of confidence in Mgbudem’s leadership, dismissing factional claims. These moves come despite a legal challenge filed on December 3 by a party faction seeking to halt the primaries.
With INEC’s deadline for candidate submissions set for December 15, Adeleke’s unopposed emergence positions the Accord Party as a significant contender in the 2026 Osun governorship race. The governor appears focused on consolidating support across Osun West, East, and Central zones, leveraging goodwill from his 2022 victory and emphasizing continuity through people-centered policies.