Osun APC Primaries: Our Disqualification A Huge Joke – Omisore

A former National Secretary of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Senator Iyiola Omisore, has said that his disqualification alongside six other aspirants fom the party’s governorship race in Osun State was “a huge joke,” accusing the screening committee of unfairness and lack of credibility.

Omisore, who said this while speaking with journalists after he appeared before the APC Appeal Committee in Abuja on Saturday, also said the screening panel’s report lacked credibility and was informed by external influence.

LEADERSHIP reports that the APC Screening Panel had on Friday disqualified Omisore and six other aspirants from participating in the forthcoming governorship primary election in Osun state.

The others screened out were Babatunde Oralusi, Oyedotun Babayemi, Dr Akin Ogunbiyi, former Deputy Governor Benedict Alabi, Adegoke Rasheed Okiki and Senator Babajide Omoworare.

However, two aspirants; Mulikat Abiola Jimoh and Munirudeen Bola Oyebamiji, were cleared to contest the primary election.

But, the former APC national secretary dismissed the basis of the disqualification, insisting that neither he nor the other aspirants were formally informed of any shortcoming of the party’s mandatory nomination criteria.

“That panel report is the biggest joke of the year. It is unfortunate that partisanship has been taken beyond politics.

“We know the panel produced multiple reports, and the one submitted to the secretariat was not the original. As we speak, none of us has been shown the report or told why we were disqualified,” Omisore said.

He alleged that the screening committee chairman privately admitted of coming under pressure from Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Gboyega Oyetola, to disqualify all the major aspirants in favour of his preferred candidate, Oyebamiji.

“The chairman told us he was under pressure. Unfortunately, we are all victims of this,” Omisore added, querying the basis of the panel’s claim that the aspirants lacked the required number of nominators.

He maintained that the party leadership has full access to the membership register and should have verified the details.

“He who alleges must prove,” Omisore said, expressing confidence that the National Working Committee (NWC) would upturn the screening committee’s decision.

“Even the committee’s own report said the party is factionalised and at risk of losing the election. So what exactly are we talking about?”he queried.