Former National Secretary of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Senator Iyiola Omisore, has dismissed his disqualification from the party’s Osun governorship primary as “a huge joke,” accusing the screening panel of partisanship and procedural misconduct.
Speaking to journalists after facing the APC Appeal Committee on Saturday in Abuja, Omisore said the panel’s report lacked credibility and had been influenced by external pressure.
The APC had earlier disqualified Omisore and six others over alleged failure to meet certain requirements.
However, the former deputy governor rejected the reasons given, insisting that neither he nor any of the other aspirants had been formally informed of any specific violations.
“That panel report is the biggest joke of the year. It is unfortunate that partisanship has been stretched 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 panel chairman privately admitted being pressured to disqualify all key aspirants to pave the way for a favoured candidate.
“The chairman told us he was under pressure. Unfortunately, we are all victims of this,” he said.
Omisore also faulted the panel’s claim that the aspirants lacked the required number of nominators, stressing that the party leadership has full access to the membership register and should have verified the information.
“He who alleges must prove,” he stated.
He expressed confidence that the National Working Committee (NWC) would overturn the decision, adding that the panel’s own findings highlighted deep divisions within the Osun APC.
“Even the committee’s report said the party is factionalised and at risk of losing the election. So what exactly are we talking about?” he asked.
Omisore noted that all seven disqualified aspirants would appear individually before the appeal panel, stressing that fairness and transparency must guide the process.