The All Progressives Congress (APC) has disqualified its former National Secretary, Senator Iyiola Omisore, along with six other aspirants, from participating in the party’s governorship primary ahead of the Osun State election.
Others barred from the race include Babatunde Oralusi, Oyedotun Babayemi, Dr. Akin Ogunbiyi, former Deputy Governor Benedict Alabi, Adegoke Rasheed Okiki, and former Senator Babajide Omoworare.
Only Mulikat Abiola Jimoh and Munirudeen Bola Oyebamiji were cleared to contest in the primary scheduled for December 13.
The disqualifications were contained in a report released by the APC Osun Governorship Screening Committee led by Obinna Uzoh.
According to the committee, the affected aspirants failed to meet key mandatory criteria, particularly the requirement to submit sponsorship endorsements from at least five fully registered, financially up-to-date APC members in each local government area of the state.
“The issues raised were weighty, substantial and germane to the integrity of the screening process. In the interest of fairness and transparency, the concerns could not be applied selectively. Every aspirant was subjected to the same scrutiny,” the report stated.
Uzoh emphasized that the screening adhered strictly to Articles 9.3(i) and 31.2(ii) of the APC Constitution, as well as Paragraph 6(c) of the party’s guidelines.
“The rules of the party are binding on all members without exception. Where an aspirant falls short of such a fundamental requirement, the committee has no choice,” he said.
He added that the screening followed a petition filed by the Osun APC Renewal Group, which alleged that some aspirants did not meet the required nominator threshold.
“Rather than apply the petition to only two individuals, we extended the same verification to all nine. That is the only way internal democracy can stand,” Uzoh noted.
