- says Adeleke’s membership a blessing
- APC has lost people’s trust
By John Dike, Osogbo
Accord Party has intensified its grassroots mobilisation across Osun State, declaring that Governor Ademola Adeleke’s defection to the party has further strengthened its political structure and acceptance among the people.
Speaking during a media interaction in Osogbo, the party’s state chairman, Pastor Victor Akande, said the party has functional structures in all local government areas and wards of the state, adding that renewed efforts are being made to deepen grassroots engagement, particularly in rural communities.
According to him, the party is placing strong emphasis on public enlightenment to ensure that voters, especially elderly citizens in rural areas who have limited access to social media and electricity, are properly educated on the ballot system and how to identify and vote for Accord candidates.
“We want the people to clearly know that Governor Adeleke is now a member of the Accord Party. Many of our aged fathers and mothers in rural areas depend on physical engagement and direct education.
“That is why we have set up a Community Enlightenment Committee to reach those places where information does not easily get to,” he said.
He explained that members of the committee would move from community to community, informing residents about current political developments in the state, the achievements of the Adeleke administration, and guiding voters on how to correctly cast their votes during elections.
Reacting to concerns about opposition strength, the Accord leader dismissed the All Progressives Congress (APC) as a non-threat, insisting that the party had already lost the trust of Osun people due to its past record in government.
“With due respect, the APC candidate is not a threat. The people of Osun State remember clearly what they went through when APC was in power. The suffering, untold hardship, and policy failures are still fresh in their minds,” he said.
Pastor Akande recalled that during the APC-led administration, pensioners and workers were subjected to half salaries, a situation he said led to severe hardship and, in some cases, deaths among retirees who could not afford basic medication
“There were abandoned projects across the state, pensioners could not buy drugs, and cooperative funds were allegedly squandered. These are facts and part of our history,” he added.
Accord chairman contrasted this with what he described as the visible transformation recorded under the Adeleke administration over the past three years, citing infrastructural development and renewed public confidence.
“When the present government came on board three years ago, Osun State witnessed a turnaround. Projects are ongoing in every nook and cranny of the state. A living testimony is the Oke-Fia Flyover Bridge, among many others. That is why the governor enjoys massive acceptance and support,” he said.
He noted that the rejection of the APC was evident during the 2022 governorship election and expressed confidence that the party would face a similar fate in future elections.
“By the grace of God, come August 2028, the people will once again make it clear that APC has become persona non grata in Osun State. Governor Adeleke’s work will speak for him because he has performed beyond expectations,” he stated.
On inter-party relations, the Accord chairman disclosed that the party maintains cordial relationships with other political parties in the state, stressing that governance and continuity of development remain the common interest.
He revealed that during the Accord governorship primary held on December 10, 2025, representatives of 14 political parties were present in solidarity with the Adeleke administration.
“I am the Chairman of the Inter-Party Advisory Council in Osun State.
“Accord relates not only with PDP but with all political parties. Even where we differ politically, I will continue to reach out because no reasonable person in Osun State wants the good work of this government to stop,” he said
He further disclosed that the
governor’s defection was driven by popular demand, noting that many supporters encouraged him to choose any political platform that would allow him to continue delivering good governance.
.
“The people told him clearly: leave PDP if you are not comfortable and pick any party—we will follow you. The reception he received after his primary, as he moved around the city that day, confirmed the level of acceptance he enjoys among the masses,” he added.
According to him, the overwhelming public support remains a clear indication that the APC poses no real challenge to the Accord-led movement in Osun State.
