By Abdulahmeed Abdulrozaq Bilal | Fact Frontier.
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In a dramatic move that has significantly reshaped the race for Osun State Government House, the All Progressives Congress (APC) Screening Committee has disqualified seven high-profile aspirants, including former National Secretary Senator Iyiola Omisore, from participating in the party's forthcoming governorship primary. The decision, confirmed in early December 2025, has sent shockwaves through the state's political landscape, narrowing the field to just two cleared contenders.
The Screening Verdict: A Mass Disqualification
The APC screening committee, tasked with vetting aspirants for the December 13, 2025, governorship primary, delivered a stringent verdict. A total of nine aspirants were screened, but only two received the green light to contest. The seven disqualified alongside Senator Iyiola Omisore are former Deputy Governor Benedict Alabi, prominent businessman Dr. Akin Ogunbiyi, Oyedotun Babayemi, former Senator Babajide Omoworare, legal practitioner Kunle Adegoke (Adegoke Rasheed Okiki), and Babatunde Haketer Oralusi.
The committee cited a failure to meet a specific constitutional requirement as the grounds for the mass disqualification. According to a report by Premium Times, the aspirants were disqualified because they
failed to provide proof of sponsorship by at least five fully registered and financially up-to-date party members from each Local Government Area of the state.This rule is enshrined in the party's guidelines for the nomination process.
The Cleared Contenders
Amidst the sweeping disqualifications, only two aspirants were found to have met all stipulated requirements. They are Mulikat Abiola Jimoh and Munirudeen Bola Oyebamiji. Their clearance sets the stage for a direct contest in the party primary scheduled for Saturday, December 13, 2025. The winner of this primary will become the APC's standard-bearer in the Osun State governorship election, which the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has scheduled for August 8, 2026.
Background and Immediate Context
This disqualification follows weeks of internal party tension. In late November 2025, a group within the Osun APC had petitioned the national leadership, calling for Senator Omisore's disqualification. The petition reportedly referenced controversies surrounding his tenure and resignation as the party's National Secretary. However, Omisore had publicly dismissed the petition, labeling it an "embarrassment" and a tool used by desperate political opponents.
The screening committee's decision, however, was not based on those earlier allegations but on the procedural ground of sponsorship proof. As reported by Leadership Newspaper, the committee's report has been forwarded to the APC's National Working Committee (NWC) for final ratification. Furthermore, the party has constituted a Screening Appeal Committee to hear petitions from aggrieved aspirants, leaving a narrow window for potential reversals before the primary date.
Analysis and Political Implications
The disqualification of a figure of Senator Omisore's stature—a former senator, two-time governorship candidate, and former national officer of the party—is a monumental event in Osun politics. It indicates a strict adherence to party guidelines by the screening committee and has effectively upended pre-existing calculations about the race. Political analysts suggest this move could streamline the primary process but also risks creating factions among the supporters of the disqualified heavyweights.
The focus now shifts to the appeal process and the final decision of the NWC. While the cleared candidates prepare for the primary, the disqualified aspirants face a critical choice: to accept the verdict, challenge it through the party's appeals mechanism, or seek legal redress. Their next steps will determine whether the field remains a two-person contest or if further surprises are in store.
What Next?
All eyes are on the APC's National Working Committee for the final clearance of the screening report and on the Appeal Committee for any modifications. Subsequently, the party's machinery will mobilize for the December 13 primary to choose its candidate for the August 2026 governorship election. This internal party decision marks a pivotal chapter in the long journey toward the Osun 2026 election, demonstrating the critical and often unpredictable role of party nomination processes in shaping the democratic landscape.
