Accord Party denies backing joint presidential ticket

The national leadership of the Accord Party has distanced itself from reports linking it to a proposed opposition coalition aimed at producing a single presidential candidate for the 2027 general election.

The National Publicity Secretary of Accord, Joseph Omorogbe, made the clarification in a statement issued in Abuja on Monday, describing the party’s inclusion in the reported Ibadan summit as misleading and unjust.

The rebuttal follows a high-profile political gathering in Ibadan, Oyo State, where leaders across multiple opposition platforms were said to have explored the possibility of forming a united front to challenge the ruling All Progressives Congress in 2027.

The meeting has since stirred debate within political circles, amid growing calls for opposition cohesion and counterclaims from the ruling party that such efforts are premature given internal divisions within rival parties.

However, Omorogbe insisted that Accord neither participated in nor endorsed any resolution from the meeting.

He said, “Accord is not aware of the coalition meeting and did not send any member to represent the party, let alone endorse the resolutions reached, including fielding a joint candidate in the 2027 presidential election.

“It is imprudent and unjust to include a political party in a coalition it was not a part of.”

Raising concerns over what he described as deliberate misrepresentation, the party spokesman condemned the organisers of the summit.

“The party strongly condemns the organisers for adding its name in the list of political parties that participated in the meeting, conscious of the fact that the national leadership of Accord was not involved in any way.

“Accordingly, the Maxwell Mgbuden’s leadership of Accord dissociates itself from the Ibadan political summit and warns politicians to desist from any action that will heat up the polity ahead of the 2027 polls,” he stated.

While acknowledging the right of political parties to form alliances, the party stressed that such arrangements must remain limited to willing participants.

He said, “Political parties are free to form a coalition that will produce a joint presidential candidate, which should be restricted to the parties involved. Accord is embarrassed by the reckless action of the organisers and demands that its name be expunged immediately.”

“The party is focused on winning the Ekiti and Osun governorship polls, preparing for the 2027 general election, and will not be distracted by the intrigues of anti-democratic forces.”

The development underscores widening cracks within the opposition’s coalition-building efforts, even as conversations around a unified presidential ticket continue to gain traction.

Meanwhile, the ruling party has maintained that opposition groups must first resolve internal disputes—particularly leadership and legal tussles within key platforms—before presenting a credible electoral challenge in 2027.