Tension has intensified in the Osun APC after seven governorship hopefuls were struck out of the race, an action they have blasted as “the biggest joke of the year”.
The party’s screening committee, led by Barrister Obinna Uzor, had disqualified seven of the nine aspirants ahead of the December 13 primary. Those affected include former Deputy Governor and ex-APC National Secretary Sen. Iyiola Omisore; immediate past Deputy Governor Benedict Olugboyega Alabi, Dotun Babayemi, Akin Ogunbiyi; Senator Babajide Omoworare, Kunle Adegoke (SAN), and Babatunde Oralusi. Only Hon. Mulikat Adeola Jimoh and Asiwaju Munirudeen Bola Oyebamiji were cleared after the panel said they satisfied the APC Constitution and party guidelines.
Speaking at a joint press briefing after submitting their appeals, Omisore alleged that the disqualification was orchestrated by influential forces seeking to impose a preferred candidate reportedly backed by the presidency. He claimed the committee chairman acknowledged facing pressure to eliminate major contenders, describing the entire screening as inconsistent and lacking transparency.
“This report is the joke of 2025″, Omisore said, noting that none of the disqualified aspirants had been formally served with the allegations against them. He added that the panel issued contradictory reports and failed to provide evidence supporting its claims of non-compliance.
Omisore rejected the panel’s claim that aspirants failed to meet nomination thresholds, pointing out that his senatorial zone alone has sufficient registered party members to satisfy requirements. He also criticised the procedural inconsistencies of the screening, saying the disqualified aspirants were never formally informed of specific allegations or given evidence to support the decision.
“I am hopeful the National Working Committee will correct this”, he said, adding that the screening exercise was flawed from the start. “The committee’s process was a mess, and the truth about our eligibility is well known to the NWC”.
Another disqualified aspirant, Dotun Babayemi, echoed the call for fairness, stating that his visit to the appeal panel was aimed at seeking a review rather than protesting the decision.
According to Omisore, the chairman personally told aspirants that phone calls were coming from “everywhere” pushing for the disqualification of all major contenders to pave the way for a favored candidate. “He told us outright that they want to disqualify all of you because their candidate is from the Villa”, Omisore said.
