The leadership crisis rocking the Accord Party in Oyo State has taken a fresh legal turn as one of the party’s governorship aspirants, Hon. Olakunle Busari, has approached the court to challenge the emergence of broadcaster Oriyomi Hamzat as the party’s candidate for the 2027 governorship election.
Busari, who insists he is the duly elected governorship candidate of the party, is seeking judicial intervention to nullify Hamzat’s claim to the ticket, arguing that the process that produced him did not comply with the party’s constitution and electoral guidelines.
The lawsuit marks the latest chapter in the lingering internal crisis that has divided the Accord Party in Oyo State ahead of the 2027 governorship election.
The dispute stems from parallel primary elections conducted by rival factions of the party, with both Busari and Hamzat laying claim to the governorship ticket. The development has triggered a leadership tussle within the party, with each camp insisting its primary election was valid.
Busari is reportedly asking the court to declare him the authentic Accord Party governorship candidate and to restrain Hamzat from parading himself as the party’s flag bearer pending the determination of the suit.
The legal battle comes despite ongoing efforts by party stakeholders to resolve the internal crisis, which has continued to generate uncertainty over the party’s participation in the 2027 governorship race in Oyo State.
The crisis has also drawn the attention of the party’s national leadership, with rival factions previously rejecting the outcome of the disputed primaries and accusing one another of undermining the party’s internal democratic processes. One faction has even called for a fresh governorship primary to produce what it described as a credible and widely accepted candidate.
Hamzat, a popular broadcaster and founder of Agidigbo FM, has maintained that he remains the Accord Party’s legitimate governorship candidate and has urged his supporters to remain calm amid the legal and political disputes surrounding the party.
The outcome of the court proceedings is expected to play a crucial role in determining who eventually flies the Accord Party’s flag in the 2027 Oyo State governorship election.
