APC drops Omisore and others from Osun race

The All Progressives Congress barred Iyiola Omisore and six other governorship hopefuls from taking part in the Osun primary scheduled for December 13.

The decision followed a screening exercise that flagged gaps in their nomination documents, raising fresh tension within the party ahead of the 2026 election.

The restriction came after the screening committee reviewed the forms and attachments submitted by the aspirants. The panel said the affected politicians did not meet the requirement of securing sponsorship from five fully registered and financially up-to-date party members from each local government area in the state. Two aspirants—Mulikat Abiola Jimoh and Munirudeen Bola Oyebamiji—scaled through the process.

The screening was carried out by a committee led by Obinna Uzoh, which concluded its work on December 4 and submitted its report to the National Working Committee in Abuja. The panel said it examined all documents, interviewed the aspirants, and checked compliance with party rules before reaching its decision.

The committee noted that a petition from the Osun APC Renewal Group also raised concerns about the nomination processes. After reviewing the petition, the panel found the issues serious enough to consider and applied the rules evenly across all aspirants. This led to the confirmation of only two candidates for the primary.

The report also pointed to a divided party structure in Osun. The committee urged the APC leadership to set up a strong reconciliation plan to bring all factions together. It warned that the party risks setbacks if the crisis continues into the campaign season.

The committee advised the party to ensure that positions, appointments, and campaign roles are shared across all political blocs in the state. It added that unity is the only way the APC can run a smooth primary and prepare for the August 2026 governorship election.