Just because accardo lived to an obscene age, and is fawned over in the Bill Roemer books that people here just love to take as literally as possible doesn't mean he "amassed vast political/law enforcement connections". There's no solidarity behind that. What we do know, is that his crew was never, ever the #1 largest/most profitable crew in the Outfit, and that his territory began dying long before the south side's did. We also know that Cicero has also been the #1 street crew in the Chicago Outfit since Alderisio croaked. He didn't place Aiuppa into power, Aiuppa took it through racket domination & cunning. Accardo helped him because it was the right (safe) move to make. Elmwood Park/grand Ave/whatever the hell you want to call the north side crews were in no position to block Cicero from doing anything. Aiuppa would have taken it with or without accardo & cerone's blessing. He also would've murdered cerone had he felt the need, just like carlisi would have murdered difronzo & eboli had he found out What was going on behind his back prior to his death.