Tinubu campaign: Accord leaders urge Adeleke to clarify loyalty

Two leaders of the Accord in Lagos State have urged Osun State Governor, Ademola Adeleke, to clarify his political allegiance following reports of his appointment as coordinator of President Bola Tinubu’s 2027 presidential campaign in Osun.

The leaders, Oke Sewedo, a party leader in Lagos West Senatorial District, and Oladeji Oluwatosin, the Lagos State Accord chairman, made the call in an open letter addressed to Adeleke and the party’s national leadership.

The letter, made available to the media, was jointly signed by the two leaders under the platform of Concerned Leaders of Accord, Lagos State.

They expressed concern that Adeleke’s reported role in Tinubu’s campaign could undermine the electoral prospects of Accord candidates in Osun and other parts of the country ahead of the 2027 general elections.

Adeleke won the Osun governorship election on the platform of Accord, a victory the signatories described as a significant milestone for the party and its members.

They said the outcome had strengthened their belief that the party could provide a credible platform for political development, good governance and national transformation.

However, they argued that the governor’s reported involvement in coordinating Tinubu’s presidential campaign had raised questions about his loyalty to Accord and the protection of its electoral interests.

Your Excellency, Senator Ademola Jackson Nurudeen Adeleke, contested and won the Osun State governorship election on the platform of the Accord Party.

“That victory was not merely a personal achievement; it was also a significant moment for our party and its members, who believed that Accord could provide a fertile and credible platform for grooming great political minds and careers, good governance, exemplary leadership and political change, that will birth the new Nigeria of our national dream.

“However, the recent announcement naming Your Excellency as the Osun State coordinator of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s 2027 presidential campaign has understandably raised serious questions among party faithful,” they said.

The leaders questioned how a governor elected on Accord’s platform could coordinate the presidential campaign of a candidate from another party while Accord prepared its candidates for the same election

They warned that the development could weaken the party’s chances, particularly in Osun, where its candidates would be seeking seats in the Senate, House of Representatives and other legislative offices.

They also said conflicting political signals could create uncertainty among voters and weaken the confidence of members who had invested their resources, time and influence in building the party.

“The concern is straightforward: how can a sitting governor elected under Accord simultaneously coordinate the presidential campaign of a candidate belonging to another political party, while Accord itself is preparing its candidates and supporters for the same general election?

This portends grave danger to the electoral aspiration and prospect of Accord candidates in Osun State and Nigeria at large,” they said.

The signatories further argued that Adeleke’s reported role could erode the advantage Accord candidates might enjoy from the governor’s electoral support.

The leaders stressed that their concerns were not motivated by personal animosity, political envy or disrespect for the governor’s office.

Rather, they said, the issue concerned the responsibility of elected officials to the political platforms through which they secured their mandates.

They added that Adeleke’s political commitments could affect party members, candidates, campaign structures and the party’s credibility before voters.

“These concerns are not accusations of wrongdoing. They are legitimate political questions that deserve a clear response from both the governor and the party leadership,” the letter stated.

The Lagos Accord leaders urged Adeleke to clarify his political position and demonstrate his commitment to the party if he remained a member.

They also asked him to reconsider his reported involvement in coordinating the presidential campaign of another party if he remained committed to Accord.

“If you remain committed to Accord, we urge you to reconsider your participation in coordinating the presidential campaign of another party and to demonstrate, through your public engagements and political commitments, that you remain supportive of Accord’s electoral interests.

“If your political allegiance has genuinely shifted elsewhere, we respectfully urge you to make your position clear and take the appropriate steps in accordance with the party’s constitution and applicable law, rather than leave members and candidates in a state of uncertainty,” they said.

The leaders also called on Accord’s national leadership to address the matter urgently, transparently and in accordance with due process and members’ rights.

They urged the leadership to issue a statement explaining the implications of Adeleke’s reported appointment to the presidential campaign structure of another party and to engage the governor formally to obtain an unequivocal clarification of his political allegiance.

They further asked the party to explain the relevant provisions of its constitution and the lawful procedures available if a member’s political activities appeared inconsistent with the party’s interests.

The leaders also called for measures to protect Accord candidates at all levels, particularly those contesting legislative seats in Osun, and to reassure members nationwide that their contributions to the party would not be taken for granted.

They said their concerns extended beyond Adeleke and Osun, arguing that the party needed to preserve its credibility as an alternative political platform.

They warned that uncertainty among senior figures could discourage grassroots members, weaken campaigns and undermine public confidence in Accord.

They added that Accord’s presidential candidate, Dr Gbenga Olawepo-Hashim, and other recognised candidates needed a coherent political structure in which party leaders, members and campaign organisations could work towards the 2027 elections.

The leaders reiterated that their appeal was not intended to create political hostility or disrupt governance in Osun, but to protect the party’s unity, integrity and electoral future.

“We are not asking for political hostility. We are asking for clarity.

“We are not seeking personal confrontation. We are seeking accountability to the political platform under which you were elected.

“And we are not calling for the disruption of governance in Osun State. We are calling for the protection of the integrity, unity and electoral future of the Accord,” they said