The leadership crisis in the Accord Party has taken a legal turn, with factional National Chairman Prof. Chris Imumolen urging stakeholders to rely on certified court records to determine who is entitled to lead the party.
Imumolen made the call in Abuja on Friday while responding to the continuing dispute between his faction and that of Maxwell Mgbudem. He said his claim to the national chairmanship stems from legal proceedings following the party’s July 2024 national convention.
According to Imumolen, the FCT High Court in August 2024 issued an interim order directing the Independent National Electoral Commission to recognise him as National Chairman pending determination of the substantive suit. He explained the court also restrained the defendants from presenting themselves as members of the party’s National Executive Committee or conducting state and local government congresses pending the case.
Imumolen acknowledged that the opposing faction later challenged the position through further court proceedings, leaving the leadership dispute unresolved. He urged party members and other stakeholders to distinguish between existing court orders, decisions that have been challenged and cases still pending, rather than relying on statements from either faction.
Imumolen also dismissed claims that his alleged expulsion from the party automatically determines who should occupy the chairmanship, saying the legal effect of any purported expulsion must be assessed under the party’s constitution, electoral laws and relevant court decisions.
He referred to recent appellate proceedings, including the reported dismissal or striking out of an appeal by the opposing group in July 2026, but cautioned against relying on partisan interpretations of the development.
Imumolen said he would abide by the final outcome of the judicial process, maintaining that certified court records would ultimately clarify the rightful leadership of the Accord Party.
