The All Progressives Congress (APC) has disqualified a former National Secretary of the party, Senator Iyiola Omisore; former Deputy Governor Benedict Olugboyega Alabi; and four other governorship aspirants ahead of the party’s primary slated for December 13, 2025.
Other disqualified aspirants are Dotun Babayemi; Akin Ogunbiyi; Senator Babajide Omoworare; Kunle Adegoke (SAN); and Babatunde Haketer Oralusi
The seven man screening committee headed by Barrister Obinna Uzor, in a report submitted to the party’s organization department on Friday, cleared Hon. Mulikat Adeola Jimoh and Asiwaju Munirudeen Bola Oyebamiji for the party primary.
The cleared aspirants were found to have fulfilled regulatory requirements as stipulated by the party guidelines, the Constitution, and the Electoral Act
The Committee, however, refered the disqualified aspirants to the National Working Committee (NWC) for final clearance before they can proceed for the shadow election.
In the 6-page report signed by all the members, the committee claimed it received a petition from Osun APC Renewal Group, urging the disqualification of the two aspirants who were identified as falling short of the mandatory nominator requirements prescribed under the APC Constitution and the Party’s Guidelines for the Governorship Primary.
It further said that “upon careful review, the Committee found the issues raised in the petition to be weighty, substantial, and germane to the integrity of the screening process.
“In the interest of fairness, transparency, and uniform application of the Party’s rules, the Committee resolved that the concerns highlighted should not be applied selectively.
“Accordingly, the Committee extended the same scrutiny to all nine (9) aspirants, ensuring that every sponsor (nominator) of an aspirant was assessed on the basis of compliance with Articles 9.3(i) and 31.2(ii) of the APC Constitution and paragraph 6(c) of the Guidelines.
“This approach guaranteed a level playing field and upheld the principles of internal party democracy.”
Upon conclusion of the two-day screening exercise, the Committee “found that two (2) aspirants, Mulikat Abiola Jimoh and Munirudeen Bola Oyebanji, satisfactorily met all constitutional and guideline requirements of the APC, including proper nomination by the requisite number of fully registered, financially up-to-date party members from each Local Government Area.”
The Committee also observed that the six aspirants: Sen. Iyiola Omisore, Babatunde Haketer Oralusi, Mr. Oyedotun Babayemi, Dr. Akinade Akanmu Ogunbiyi, Benedict Olugboyega Alabi, Adegoke Rasheed Okiki Adekunle, and Sen. Babajide Omoworare-failed to meet the mandatory nomination requirement of being sponsored by five fully registered and financially up-to-date members from each Local Government Area contrary to Articles 9.3(i) of the APC Constitution and 31.2(ii) of the APC Constitution as well as Paragraph 6(c) of the APC Guidelines for the 2025 Governorship Primary.
Meanwhile, the Screening Appeal Committee, headed by Senator Tola Odebiyi, will sit on Saturday in Abuja to attend to petitions and appeals from the disqualified and any other aggrieved stakeholders.
