By ADEYEMI ADELEYE

Leaders of the Accord Party in Lagos State have urged Gov. Ademola Adeleke of Osun to clarify his political allegiance following his reported appointment as coordinator of President Bola Tinubu’s 2027 presidential campaign in the state.

The leaders, under the platform of Concerned Leaders of Accord Party, Lagos State, made the call in an open letter addressed to the party’s national leadership and Adeleke.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the letter was signed by Mr Oladele Oladeji, Lagos State Accord Chairman, and Mr Oke Sewedo, the Lagos West Senatorial District leader of the party.

They expressed concern that the reported appointment could undermine Accord’s electoral prospects in Osun and other states ahead of the 2027 general elections.

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

The party leaders said that Adeleke’s reported involvement in President Bola Tinubu’s presidential campaign had raised questions about party loyalty, political identity and the protection of Accord candidates’ interests.

“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 of great political minds and career, good governance, exemplary leadership and political change.

“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 signatories questioned how a governor elected on Accord’s platform could coordinate another party’s presidential campaign while Accord prepared its candidates for the same general elections.

They warned that the development could weaken the party’s electoral prospects, demoralise grassroots members, undermine its national ambition and confuse voters.

“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.

“To bring Osun into focus, the 66,252 winning votes margin, with which Governor Adeleke won on Aug. 15, 2026, will easily be eroded and overwhelmed in a general election,” they said.

They stressed that their concerns were not motivated by personal animosity or political envy but by the need to protect the party’s electoral interests.

“While every politician has the right to express personal political opinions, Governor Adeleke is no longer a private person, as he personifies a collective public interest and identity.

“It affects party members, candidates, campaign structures and the credibility of the party before the electorate.

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

They also urged him to reconsider his reported participation in coordinating another party’s presidential campaign or formally resolve his political status in accordance with the party’s constitution and applicable law.

“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.

“This is not a demand that you abandon your constitutional responsibilities as Governor of Osun State, it is a call for honesty, consistency and clarity regarding your political affiliation and commitments,” they said.

The signatories urged Accord’s national leadership to address the development urgently, engage the governor and clarify the applicable provisions of the party’s constitution.

They also called on the leadership to protect the interests of Accord candidates, particularly those contesting legislative seats in Osun, and reassure members that their contributions would not be taken for granted.

The leaders said any action taken should respect due process and members’ rights while avoiding arbitrary decisions.

“Our presidential candidate, Dr Gbenga Olawepo-Hashim, and all duly recognised Accord candidates deserve a political environment in which the party’s leadership, structures and members can work with clarity and purpose.

“The future of Accord must be determined by its members, its constitution, its lawful processes and the will of the electorate—not by ambiguity or conflicting political signals,” they said.

The leaders warned that uncertainty among party leaders could discourage grassroots members, weaken campaigns and undermine public confidence in Accord as an alternative political platform.

They reiterated that their appeal was not intended to create hostility or disrupt governance in Osun but to protect the party’s unity 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.

“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 Party,” they said.

They urged Adeleke to clarify his position and called on the party’s national leadership to take prompt, fair and decisive action to protect its interests and reassure members. (NAN)