- As Screening Committee says it’s all clear for Oyebamiji, Jimoh
BY SEGUN ADEBAYO – The All Progressives Congress (APC) has disqualified two former Deputy Governors, Senator Iyiola Omisore and Benedict Olugboyega Alabi, alongside five other aspirants from participating in its forthcoming 13th December 2025 governorship primary election in Osun State.
The other quintet barred from the process are Akin Ogunbiyi, Kunle Adegoke (SAN), Dotun Babayemi, Babatunde Haketer Oralusi, and Senator Babajide Omoworare
According to the seven-member Screening Committee chaired by Barrister Obinna Uzor, only two aspirants, Hon. Mulikat Adeola Jimoh and Asiwaju Munirudeen Bola Oyebamiji, met all requirements to contest the primary poll.
A report submitted to the APC’s Organisation department by the Committee on Friday indicated that both aspirants “fulfilled regulatory conditions as stipulated by the party’s guidelines, the Constitution and the Electoral Act”, thereby earning full clearance to contest in the primary poll.
The caveat however is that Omisore, a former National Secretary of the party, and the six ither disqualified aspirants will have an opportunity to appear before the National Working Committee (NWC) for a final review of their cases and possible clearance ahead of the the shadow election slated for next week.
In referring the disqualified aspirants to NWC for further action, the Screening panel stated in its six-page report, signed by all members, that it acted on a petition submitted by the Osun APC Renewal Group.
It said the petition had canvassed the disqualification of two aspirants on the grounds that they failed to meet the mandatory nominator requirements set by the APC Constitution and guidelines.
“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.”
The report further explained that, in the interest of fairness and uniform application of the rules, the same standards were applied to all nine aspirants.
“Accordingly, the Committee extended the same scrutiny to all nine 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”, the panel stated in its final report.
It said the decision was taken to preserve a level playing field for all aspirants and uphold internal democracy within the ruling party.
While confirming that only Jimoh and Oyebamiji “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 panel noted that Senators Omisore, Omoworare, Alabi, Oralusi, Babayemi, Ogunbiyi, and Adegoke all failed to meet the mandatory conditions as captured in the APC’s constitution.
Specifically, the panel said the disqualified aspirants failed the acid test of being nominated by at least five financially compliant members from each local government, as required under Articles 9.3(i) and 31.2(ii) of the APC Constitution and Paragraph 6(c) of the 2025 Governorship Primary Guidelines.
With the outcome of the two-day screening exercise now in the public domain, Forefront News learnt that the Party’s Screening Appeal Committee chaired by Senator Tola Odebiyi is set to sit on Saturday in Abuja, the nation’s capital.
The Appeal panel is expected to entertain petitions from the seven disqualified aspirants and any other aggrieved stakeholder(s) of the Party.
