Accord Party Exposes Alleged APC Scheme to Disqualify Opposition Ahead of Osun 2026 Election

The Osun State chapter of the Accord Party has accused the All Progressives Congress (APC) of attempting to destabilise opposition parties through frivolous lawsuits and alleged manipulation of the judiciary, ahead of the 2026 Osun governorship election.

In a statement issued on Sunday in Osogbo, the state chairman of Accord Party, Pastor Victor Akande, condemned what he described as a coordinated effort by a powerful APC faction to secure ex parte orders and default judgments aimed at disrupting the internal processes of rival political parties.

“This move by a caucus within the state APC is intended to undermine democratic processes ahead of the forthcoming gubernatorial election,” Akande said, alleging that the ruling party had adopted a strategy of filing meritless court cases to prevent other parties from presenting candidates.

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Akande further claimed that a prominent APC leader was invoking the President’s name to coerce individuals into participating in these undemocratic activities. He also alleged that the APC was responsible for the internal disqualification of seven out of nine governorship aspirants within the party to favour a preferred candidate.

Highlighting a recent lawsuit filed by Oliver Bitrus through counsel Daniel Edeachi, Akande described the action as part of a deliberate attempt to mislead the courts and destabilise opposition parties, vowing to seek accountability through the Legal Practitioners’ Disciplinary Committee (LPDC).

“This represents a dangerous escalation in the politics of manipulation and desperation and poses a serious threat to the credibility of the electoral process in Osun State,” he said.

Akande urged civil society organisations, democratic institutions, political stakeholders, and the public to remain vigilant against any efforts to erode the democratic space, assuring that Accord Party would remain united and focused on concluding its primary election in preparation for the August 8, 2026 governorship poll.

Accord Party Exposes Alleged APC Scheme to Disqualify Opposition Ahead of Osun 2026 Election

Omisore Slams APC Disqualification, Calls Screening Panel Report “A Huge Joke”

Former National Secretary of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Senator Iyiola Omisore, has condemned his exclusion from the party’s Osun governorship primary, describing the decision as “a huge joke” and alleging that the screening panel acted with partisanship, bias, and procedural lapses.

Speaking to journalists after appearing before the APC Appeal Committee on Saturday in Abuja, Omisore said the panel’s report lacked credibility and was influenced by external pressure. The APC screening panel had earlier disqualified Omisore and six other aspirants over alleged failure to meet certain requirements.

Omisore insisted that neither he nor the other affected aspirants had been formally informed of any wrongdoing.
“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,” he said.

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He further alleged that the panel chairman privately admitted facing pressure to disqualify major aspirants in favour of a preferred candidate.
“The chairman told us he was under pressure. Unfortunately, we are all victims of this,” Omisore stated.

Questioning the panel’s claim that the aspirants lacked the required number of nominators, Omisore argued that the party leadership has full access to the membership register and should have verified the information.
“He who alleges must prove,” he added.

The senator expressed confidence that the APC National Working Committee (NWC) would overturn the disqualification, stressing that the issues raised in the report revealed deeper divisions within the Osun APC.
“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.

Omisore confirmed that all seven disqualified aspirants would appear individually before the appeal panel, insisting that the process must reflect fairness, transparency, and due process.

Omisore Slams APC Disqualification, Calls Screening Panel Report “A Huge Joke”

PDP Crisis Deepens as Turaki Faction Seeks Judge’s Recusal Over Alleged Bias

The faction of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) loyal to Kabiru Turaki has filed a motion requesting Justice Joyce Abdulmalik to withdraw from presiding over a major lawsuit challenging the party’s leadership. The application, led by senior lawyer Chris Uche (SAN), argues that circumstances surrounding the handling of the suit have created a reasonable apprehension of bias.

The case originally stems from a suit filed by a rival PDP bloc aligned with FCT Minister Nyesom Wike and led by acting National Chairman Mohammed Abdulrahman.

In the motion, the Turaki group is seeking two orders:

1. For Justice Abdulmalik to recuse herself due to perceived lack of impartiality; and
2. For the Chief Judge of the Federal High Court to reassign the matter to another judge.

Uche cited Section 36(1) of the 1999 Constitution, which guarantees the right to a fair hearing, asserting that his clients fear they may not receive an unbiased trial. He recalled that the 5th to 25th defendants previously petitioned Chief Judge John Tsoho, asking that no PDP-related dispute be assigned to Justice Abdulmalik or two other judges due to “past antecedents and perceived partisanship.”

Despite this, the suit filed on November 21, 2025, was assigned to Justice Abdulmalik and, by November 25, resulted in an ex parte order that Uche described as “curious” and similar to orders previously issued by Justice James Omotosho in related PDP matters. He argued that although some prayers were declined on record, the judge “granted even more far-reaching orders,” raising concerns about fairness.

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Uche insisted that judicial proceedings “must not only be fair but must manifestly appear to be fair,” noting that reassigning the case would safeguard public confidence in the process.

Meanwhile, the rival PDP faction is seeking injunctions preventing the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) from recognising any address for the party other than the one currently on its records. They are also asking the court to stop the Turaki-led group from presenting itself as the authentic representatives of the PDP.

The plaintiffs further want the court to compel INEC, the Inspector-General of Police, the FCT Police Command, and the DSS to enforce earlier judgments delivered by Justices James Omotosho and Peter Lifu on PDP disputes.

During Friday’s hearing, Onyechi Ikpeazu (SAN) appeared for the plaintiffs, Chris Uche (SAN) for the 5th to 25th defendants, and Mimi Ayua represented the police. With parties confirming that all processes had not been received, Justice Abdulmalik adjourned the matter to January 14, 2026.

Later that day, a second suit filed by the Turaki-led PDP group came up. Terkaa Aondo (SAN) represented the plaintiffs, while Ken Njemanze (SAN)—appearing for those seeking to be joined, including Mohammed Abdulrahman, Sen. Samuel Anyanwu, and Sen. Mao Ohuabunwa—noted that he had not been served. The judge fixed January 16 for hearing pending applications.

In the second suit, the plaintiffs—PDP, National Chairman Kabiru Turaki, and National Secretary Taofeek Arapaja—are asking the court to order security operatives to vacate the party’s Wadata Plaza headquarters in Abuja.

PDP Crisis Deepens as Turaki Faction Seeks Judge’s Recusal Over Alleged Bias