The Accord Party has formally presented its Certificate of Return to Opeyemi David Falegan, its candidate for the June 2026 Ekiti State governorship election, marking an early but significant milestone in the race for the state’s top political office.
The presentation, which took place on Tuesday at the party’s national headquarters in Abuja, was conducted by the National Chairman of the Accord Party, Maxwell Mgbudem, in the presence of party leaders and supporters.
The event effectively confirmed Falegan’s emergence as the party’s standard-bearer following its governorship primary election held on November 8, 2025.
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) had earlier scheduled party primaries in Ekiti State between October 20 and November 10, 2025, with the final list of candidates expected to be published on January 19, 2026.
With the issuance of the Certificate of Return, Accord has joined the growing list of political parties positioning themselves early for what is expected to be a keenly contested governorship election in the South-West state.
Speaking at the ceremony, Mgbudem congratulated Falegan on his victory at the primaries, describing it as a clear endorsement of his leadership credentials, resilience and political vision.
He said party delegates had made a deliberate choice in favour of competence, inclusiveness and purposeful governance, stressing that Ekiti voters were yearning for a new direction anchored on accountability and development.
According to the party chairman, the presentation of the certificate was not merely a formality but a declaration of Accord’s readiness to challenge the status quo in Ekiti State.
“In the same manner that we have gathered here today to present the Certificate of Return to Hon. Opeyemi David Falegan, we shall gather again at the INEC office to receive the Certificate of Return for his victory at the 2026 governorship election,” Mgbudem said, expressing confidence in the party’s electoral prospects.
He urged party members nationwide to sustain the momentum generated by recent political developments, including the defection of Osun State Governor, Senator Ademola Adeleke, to the Accord Party.
According to him, the growing acceptance of the party across states with off-cycle elections—particularly the Federal Capital Territory, Osun and Ekiti.
Mgbudem also used the occasion to remind Falegan of the responsibilities that come with the party’s ticket. He charged the governorship candidate to strictly adhere to the party’s constitution and manifesto in setting up his campaign structure, stressing that politics must be people-centred, inclusive and issue-driven.
“Politics is local,” the party chairman noted, adding that grassroots mobilisation, internal democracy and discipline would be critical to winning the confidence of Ekiti voters. He warned against politics of bitterness, personal attacks and distractions that could undermine the credibility of the campaign.
In his acceptance remarks, Falegan expressed gratitude to party delegates and leaders for the confidence reposed in him, describing his emergence as a collective mandate to reposition Ekiti State.
He outlined a development-focused agenda built around seven priority sectors, including agriculture, education, youth empowerment and infrastructure.
He pledged that, if elected, his administration would empower 1,000 youths every month—amounting to 48,000 beneficiaries within four years—through skills acquisition, entrepreneurship support and access to finance.
The Accord candidate promised an aggressive infrastructure renewal programme, particularly in the area of road construction and rehabilitation. He said many major roads in Ekiti State were poorly connected and had become safety hazards, vowing to fix key arterial roads within the first six months of his administration.
“I do not want to govern Ekiti with excuses,” Falegan said. “We will focus on practical solutions that directly affect the lives of our people—jobs, roads, education and agriculture.”
He also took a swipe at the current administration of Governor Biodun Oyebanji, alleging that the state was being run as a “government of ex-governors, by ex-governors, for ex-governors.”
According to him, Ekiti deserved a leadership that prioritised the present and future aspirations of its citizens rather than recycling old political interests.
