Prof. Chris Imumolen, the factional National Chairman of the Accord, has predicted that Osun State Governor, Ademola Adeleke, will lose the forthcoming governorship election.
Imumolen, in a statement issued by Israel Jagunmolu, said Adeleke’s political future could be determined either by the outcome of the election or an ongoing legal dispute over the leadership of the Accord.
According to him, “the people of Osun State should not waste their votes on Adeleke, who is unlikely to prevail at the polls”.
Imumolen said his confidence extended beyond the electoral contest, arguing that Adeleke could still face legal consequences even if he emerged victorious in the election.
He said the ongoing case involving rival factions of the Accord before the Federal High Court in Abuja could have implications for the political situation surrounding the election.
“We are expecting victory in the judgment very soon,” Imumolen stated.
The Accord chieftain said recent legal developments arising from the leadership dispute had strengthened the position of the faction he leads.
He said proceedings involving the competing factions had moved through the Court of Appeal, with the matter now before the Federal High Court in Abuja.
Imumolen maintained that the dispute was not merely an internal disagreement but concerned the legitimate leadership and structure of the Accord and the authority of its recognised structure.
He argued that “a victory by Adeleke at the polls will not necessarily bring an end to the political and legal challenges surrounding his candidacy.
“If Adeleke loses at the polls, the people of Osun will have rejected him. A victory at the polls could still be challenged through the ongoing legal process.”
He said his faction remained confident that the judiciary would vindicate its position and establish the legitimate leadership structure of the Accord, as political activities intensify ahead of the Osun governorship election.