Osun Rerun: No Money Deal with Omisore, Says Oshiomhole

Posted by African Examiner Featured, Latest Headlines, News Friday, September 28th, 2018

Photo: Sen. Iyiola Omisore

(AFRICAN EXAMINER) – Mr Adams Oshiomhole, the All Progressives Congress (APC) National Chairman, has debunked insinuations that a deal involving money and political concessions were made with Sen. Iyiola Omisore of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) to support the party.

Oshiomhole, while addressing newsmen on Friday in Abuja, said the people of Osun made their free choice by voting the APC candidate, Gboyega Oyetola, at the election.

He, however, added that the APC had some agreements with Omisore which bothered on policies and the welfare of the people of the state, but certainly did not give him money as was being speculated.

Mama Taraba

The APC national chairman also gave reasons the Minister of Women Affairs, Hajiya Aisha Alhassan, was not cleared to contest the party’s ticket in its governorship primary on Saturday.

The minister was in the race to contest Taraba governorship in 2019.

Oshiomhole said the party could not tolerate those who played anti-party activities within its ranks, adding that the minister judging from her actions, had not been completely loyal to the party.

“She had issues that have to do with party loyalty. Our Constitution is clear and it dictates that to contest elections or even hold office in the APC, you must be loyal to the party in every material concern.

“From all she had said in the past and even her comments and general attitude during the screening, the NWC reviewed everything taken together and we arrived at the conclusion that she does not possess the level of loyalty the APC requires for her to contest elections on our platform.” He stated.

Adebayo Shittu

Oshiomhole also reacted to the Minister of Communication, Mr Adebayo Shittu, who was also not cleared to contest the governorship primary, saying the party could not compromise.

Shittu was not cleared because he did not participate in the compulsory one year National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) scheme.

“He admitted that he did not do the mandatory NYSC as provided for under the law, and in his own judgment, his being a member of the Oyo House of Assembly and now as a minister of the Federal Republic were enough sacrifices.

“But for us as a party, we know that NYSC is a mandatory scheme. It is not something you may elect to do or abstain from doing.

“So, for us, not participating in the NYSC raises very serious moral issue as well as legal issue.

“If he did not do NYSC, that for us was enough to disqualify him and we had to find the courage to do so,” Oshiomhole stated.