The Accord Party has screened and cleared Governor Ademola Adeleke to take part in its governorship primary in Osun State, party officials said Wednesday, hours after the governor announced he had joined the party.
Adeleke told supporters at the Government House in Osogbo that he joined Accord to continue his work for the state.
“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.
Party officials said Adeleke met all requirements and would be the party’s only governorship aspirant at the primary.
The screening committee’s chairman, Ibe Thankgod, announced the clearance before delegates gathered to vote.
Adeleke’s spokesman, Olawale Rasheed, said the governor had joined Accord earlier and was ready to contest for a second term.
“The governor joined Accord Party since November 6.
He will participate in the primary of the party. He has fulfilled all the conditions, and he has complied with all the requirements,” Rasheed said.
Adeleke left the Peoples Democratic Party amid internal conflict and resigned his membership in early December.
His move to Accord comes just before the party’s scheduled primary and changes the race dynamic in Osun, where next year’s governorship vote is already closely watched.
It remains to be seen if other governorship aspirants from the Accord Party in Osum State will accept Adeleke as Accord’s candidate, and whether any other prominent Osun politicians follow him into the Accord Party.
