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”

Osogbo Youth Group Condemns APC Over Disqualification of Adegoke SAN

The Osogbo Progressive Youths Movement (OPYM) has issued a strongly worded statement criticizing the All Progressives Congress (APC) leadership over the disqualification of AbdulRasheed Adekunle Adegoke, SAN, from a recent party screening exercise.

In a press release signed by its convener, Comrade Jimoh Oyekola Ajayi, the group described the decision as a “political statement” aimed not only at the aspirant but at the entire Osogbo community. According to OPYM, the disqualification sends a message that despite the city’s long-standing loyalty and electoral contributions to the APC, its people are not considered worthy of leadership positions within the party.

Ajayi stated that Osogbo has consistently delivered votes and stood firmly with the APC “through every storm,” only to be sidelined at a critical moment when fairness was expected. He accused the party hierarchy of reinforcing a pattern of marginalization that has left Osogbo feeling “rejected and undervalued.”

The group also took a swipe at individuals within and outside the city who were said to be celebrating the disqualification. OPYM described such actions as betrayal, warning that “history has a long memory” and would not forget those who worked against the collective interest of Osogbo.

Despite the setback, OPYM maintained that the movement for equity and political inclusion remains unwavering. The organization emphasized that although it has accepted the screening outcome peacefully, it rejects what it sees as a broader attempt to reduce Osogbo’s political relevance in the state.

“We have not accepted that Osogbo must remain second-class in a state it has helped build with sweat, loyalty, and sacrifice,” the statement read.

The group reaffirmed its support for Adegoke SAN, praising him for his courage in bringing long-standing grievances to the fore. It also reiterated its commitment to advocating for fairness and justice within the political landscape.

“Osogbo will not fold its arms while others dictate our political destiny,” Ajayi declared.

The statement concluded with affirmations of solidarity for Adegoke, the people of Osogbo, and the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

Osogbo Youth Group Condemns APC Over Disqualification of Adegoke SAN

BREAKING: Rivers Assembly Speaker, 15 Members Defect From PDP to APC

The political landscape in Rivers State shifted dramatically on Friday as sixteen members of the Rivers State House of Assembly, led by Speaker Martin Amaewhule, officially defected from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC). The mass defection marks a major escalation in the long-running political crisis rocking the state.

Speaking during plenary, Amaewhule announced his resignation from the PDP, attributing the move to what he described as a “clear division” within the party.
“Distinguished colleagues, very happily, let me announce that your Speaker has decided… to leave the PDP. APC is my new party,” he declared.

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Deputy Speaker Dumle Maol was among the 16 lawmakers who joined the APC, signalling a coordinated shift by legislators aligned with Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Minister Nyesom Wike. All defecting lawmakers are known loyalists of Wike, who was recently expelled from the PDP over alleged anti-party activities.

This latest move adds a new chapter to the state’s ongoing power tussle. The same group of lawmakers had previously announced a switch to the APC at the height of the crisis between Wike and Governor Siminalayi Fubara, before later denying it. The defection at that time triggered legal battles, including attempts to declare their seats vacant.

With the fresh alignment now formalized, the APC gains a significant foothold in the Rivers Assembly, potentially reshaping legislative authority and deepening the divide between the Wike and Fubara camps.

Political observers warn that the development could again ignite constitutional debates around defections under Section 109(1)(g) of the 1999 Constitution, especially in relation to whether genuine party division exists within the PDP.

As Rivers State enters yet another phase of political uncertainty, the implications for governance, legislative stability and party control remain far-reaching.

BREAKING: Rivers Assembly Speaker, 15 Members Defect From PDP to APC