By John Dike, Osogbo
Osun State chapter of the Accord Party has dismissed reports alleging that members of the party in the state endorsed Chief Gbenga Olawepo-Hashim as the party’s presidential candidate, insisting that Accord currently has no presidential candidate.
State Chairman of the party, Pastor Victor Akande, made the clarification while reacting to media reports suggesting that members of the party in Osun State had thrown their support behind Olawepo-Hashim’s purported presidential ambition.
He described the reports as false, misleading and contrary to the official position of the national leadership of the party.
According to him, the national headquarters of Accord has already publicly disowned claims that Olawepo-Hashim emerged as the party’s presidential candidate, stressing that no presidential primary election was conducted by the party.
“Accord has no presidential candidate. Osun Accord members did not endorse Olawepo. The report is fake news and should be disregarded by members of the public,” Akande stated.
The state chairman emphasized that the position of Osun chapter remains consistent with that of the national leadership under the National Chairman of the party, Maxwell Mgbudem.
He cited a statement issued by Mgbudem in which the party categorically rejected reports portraying Olawepo-Hashim as Accord’s standard bearer for future presidential elections.
According to the national chairman, the party did not conduct any presidential primary election and therefore could not have produced a presidential candidate.
Mgbudem explained that the party’s presidential primary was cancelled because no aspirant completed the requirements stipulated in the party’s guidelines within the approved timeline.
His words, “The purported presidential primary where he emerged as the presidential candidate of Accord as widely reported in the national media was not conducted by our great party and has no effect whatsoever.
“It was a fanfare by his supporters, which should not be misconstrued as the party’s presidential primary.”
The national leadership further disclosed that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) was formally notified that the party did not conduct a presidential primary for the purpose of nominating a candidate.
Mgbudem revealed that Olawepo-Hashim only communicated his intention to contest the presidency through a letter dated May 26, after the expiration of the approved timeline for the purchase and submission of nomination forms.
According to him, the request could not be processed because it did not comply with the party’s established procedures and timetable.
He further explained that eligibility to participate in the nomination process was dependent on fulfilling specific requirements, including the purchase of expression of interest and nomination forms, submission of completed forms within the stipulated period and participation in the screening exercise conducted by the party.
Accord national chairman also rejected suggestions that Olawepo-Hashim should automatically become the party’s candidate because no other aspirant presented himself for the office.
He maintained that the absence of competitors does not confer automatic entitlement to nomination without compliance with laid-down rules and procedures.
Mgbudem further disclosed that Olawepo-Hashim later paid N10 million and N40 million respectively for expression of interest and nomination forms after the deadline for the exercise had elapsed.
According to him, the party subsequently directed its bankers to reverse the payments to the originating financial institution because the transactions were made outside the approved nomination period.
Reacting to the controversy, Akande urged party members and the general public to disregard reports linking Osun Accord members to any endorsement of Olawepo-Hashim.
He reiterated that the party remains united behind the decisions of its national leadership and would continue to abide by its constitution and established procedures in all matters relating to candidate nomination.
Osun Accord chairman therefore warned against the spread of misinformation capable of creating confusion within the party and misleading members of the public.
He reaffirmed that, as things stand, Accord has no officially recognized presidential candidate and that any claim to the contrary does not represent the position of the party.
