The next few days promise to be interesting ones in Osun State following a dramatic twist ahead of the All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship primary election in Osun State as the party’s Screening Committee has disqualified seven out of nine aspirants who appeared before it — including former National Secretary and two-term Senator, Iyiola Omisore.
The committee, chaired by Chief Obinna Uzoh, concluded its work on December 4, 2025, at Amor Hotel, Katampe, Abuja. In its report, the panel cited the failure of the affected aspirants to meet the party’s mandatory nomination requirements as stipulated in Articles 9.3(i) and 31.2(ii) of the APC Constitution and Paragraph 6(c) of the party’s guidelines.
According to the report, the disqualified aspirants —
• Sen. Iyiola Omisore
• Babatunde Haketer Oralusi
• Oyedotun Babayemi
• Dr. Akin Ogunbiyi
• Benedict Alabi
• Adegoke Rasheed Okiki
• Senator Babajide Omoworare
— failed to provide evidence of sponsorship by at least five fully registered and financially up-to-date party members from each Local Government Area (LGA) in Osun State.
The committee stated that the scrutiny followed a petition from the Osun APC Renewal Group, which alleged irregularities in the nomination processes of some aspirants. Rather than treat the petition selectively, the panel said it subjected all nine aspirants to uniform evaluation, ultimately resulting in the mass disqualification.
Only two aspirants met all constitutional and procedural requirements:
• Mulikat Abiola Jimoh
• Munirudeen Bola Oyebamiji
The committee confirmed that both aspirants provided proper nomination from the required number of eligible party members across all Osun LGAs.
The decision — now awaiting ratification by the APC National Working Committee (NWC) — has triggered significant tension within the Osun APC. Sources close to the affected aspirants described the development as “politically motivated” and disclosed that an emergency meeting is underway, with strong indications that formal appeals will be lodged with the NWC.
Senator Omisore, a former deputy governor and a dominant force in Osun politics, was widely regarded as a leading contender. His exclusion, alongside other high-profile figures such as former Deputy Governor Benedict Alabi and ex-Senator Babajide Omoworare, has dramatically reshaped the contest.
The screening panel, inaugurated on December 3, 2025, by Deputy National Organising Secretary Nze Chidi Duru on behalf of APC National Chairman Prof. Nentawe Yilwatda, advised disqualified aspirants to forward any grievances to the NWC for review.
The committee was chaired by Obinna Uzoh, with Amb. Usman Baraya serving as secretary.
The Osun APC governorship primary is scheduled to take place soon, with the party’s eventual candidate expected to challenge incumbent Governor Ademola Adeleke, who recently decamped from the PDP as he weighs new political platforms for the 2026 governorship election.
As the fallout continues, the APC in Osun State faces a turbulent path toward choosing its flagbearer, with legal and political battles likely to intensify in the coming days.
