Deputy Editor and Head of Politics, The Sun Newspapers, Ismail Omipidan, has dismissed claims that the Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Gboyega Oyetola, engineered the disqualification of governorship aspirants in the Osun APC primaries, insisting that the allegations are politically motivated and disconnected from party realities.
In an interview with ARISE NEWS on Thursday, Omipidan said Oyetola had long been formally recognised as the leader of the Osun APC and had worked to keep the party cohesive despite losing the 2022 election.
“Oyetola was never part of the screening committee. He is not an official of the APC as we speak, He believes very strongly that the only person that will stand in his way on that ticket is Oyetola. And so whether he does anything or he doesn’t do anything, naturally, he would want to accuse him of doing that. But I don’t think that that is a fair accusation. At any rate, his spokesperson issued a statement about two days ago to explain clearly that he had no hand in this qualification.”
“It would be unfairly done for you, as a US spokesman, to take charge of the party.”
On reports that Oyetola withdrew from seeking a second run at the Osun governorship. He said. “By mid last year, we tried to look at the situation of things. We tried to look at the happenings within the equality. We had what I would call honest assessment of the situation of things. And it came to the conclusion that since he has an assignment to do at the national level, he would be withdrawing from the race.”
Omipidan also countered claims from a post-election report that arrogance and abuse of incumbency led to APC’s defeat. “I have access to the report and there was nothing like that. But in my own opinion, as a person, and what I want to say here, I’ve also documented it in my book, there are a series of events that led to what happened in 2022. I have said it repeatedly and I will say it again: for me, I do not think that Oyetola lost that election. He only lost the vote counts.”
He defended the controversial screening process that disqualified some aspirants, explaining that APC rules require nomination signatures from financially up-to-date members listed in the official party register. “I defended the controversial screening process that disqualified some aspirants, explaining that APC rules require nomination signatures from financially up-to-date members listed in the official party register. According to him, any aspirant whose nominators came from outside the recognised list of 90,000 members submitted by the state chapter would automatically fail verification.”
On concerns about the consensus arrangement reportedly reached at a recent Aso Rock meeting, he said “The consensus arrangement reportedly reached at a recent Aso Rock meeting, Omipidan said that despite not attending, former APC National Secretary, Omituntun Iyiola Omisore, had privately met with President Tinubu earlier and agreed to abide by party decisions. He said the consensus push was driven by agitation for power rotation to Osun West, where Omisore is from.”
Omipidan dismissed suggestions that the media was misrepresenting events in Osun APC, saying coverage had simply highlighted ongoing developments. “The media was misrepresenting events in Osun APC, saying coverage had simply highlighted ongoing developments. He added that consensus could not amount to imposition unless stakeholders rejected the candidate after the delegates’ vote.”
He warned that the political landscape in Osun remained fragile but manageable so long as party leaders respected established processes. “The political landscape in Osun remained fragile but manageable so long as party leaders respected established processes. The APC, he said, must remain vigilant, as the opposition had previously benefited from alleged security-enabled irregularities during the 2022 election.”
“Those who headed that activity were the same security agencies from NURTW,” he noted, recalling the long voting hours in Ede that he believes influenced the final tally.”
“APC’s internal reforms, coupled with earlier lessons from past elections, would shape the party’s future strategy as it seeks to reclaim Osun in 2026.”
Erizia Rubyjeana
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