By Nchetachi Chukwuajah
Osun State governor, Ademola Adeleke, has been confirmed as the Accord Party’s candidate for the 2026 governorship election in the state, after delegates unanimously endorsed him in a primary held on Wednesday, December 10.
With the endorsement, Adeleke has beaten the December 15 deadline fixed by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) for all political parties interested in the governorship poll, scheduled for August 8, 2026, to conclude their primaries.
The governor clinched the gubernatorial ticket just one day after he formally joined the party following his resignation from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) on December 2, citing the current crisis within the national leadership of the party.
Announcing the result of the primary, the Secretary of the electoral committee, Abdulazeez Salaudeen, said Adeleke, the only aspirant in the primary, polled 145 votes out of 150 cast by accredited delegates drawn from the state’s 30 local government areas, while five votes were voided.
Salaudeen said: “The electoral committee has delivered on its mandate. After voting and counting, witnessed by the agents of the candidate and the officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission.
“Having the highest number of votes, I declare Senator Nurudeen Ademola Adeleke as the winner of the primary.”
In an interview, the party’s National Organising Secretary and Chairman of the screening committee, Ibe ThankGod, said that although the governor was the only aspirant, the party maintained that its internal rules required a formal confirmation vote rather than an automatic ticket.
ThankGod said delegates were therefore required to validate his candidature, which they did unanimously, leading to his declaration as winner and presentation of the party flag.
In a statement by his spokesperson, Olawale Rasheed, Adeleke also unveiled an upgraded five-point agenda for the 2026 race.
Rasheed said the five points are: integrated citizens and workers’ welfare; infrastructure consolidation for economic prosperity; increased agro-industrial expansion for youth empowerment; innovations for health, education, and social care; and improved business environment for job creation.
In attendance during the exercise were the deputy governor of Osun State, Kola Adewusi; the Secretary to the State Government, Teslim Igbalaye; the Chief of Staff to the governor, Kazeem Akinleye, and other political office holders.
