Osun West Senatorial By-election; Crisis hit APC over replacement of Adeleke

The national committee of All Progressives Congress, (APC), yesterday, disqualified one of the two candidates for the Osun West Senatorial bye election, Senator Mudashiru Hussein.

The committee based the disqualification on Hussain's failure to resign the position of commissioner he was holding before joining the race.

Senator Hussein had been appointed as the Commissioner for Cabinet by Governor Rauf Aregbesola on the 30th of May, this year.

The screening committee as thereby positioned that the brother of late Senator Isiaka Adeleke, Demola Adeleke, would participate in the primary election and thus would represent the party in the August 7, bye election.

The chairman of the committee, Sanusi Rikiji, who is the Speaker, Zamfara House of Assembly, said the 2014 guideline of the party stipulate that the aspirants must have resigned all their current position, 30 days before contesting.

According to the committee, the primary will hold as scheduled on Monday June 12 at De Distinguish Event Centre, Osogbo.

Rikiji urged the delegates to conduct themselves in a peaceful manner that would ensure success of the exercise.

However, loyalists to Senator Hussain have kicked against the decision of the party committee as the state chairman, Prince Gboyega Famodun, told the committee that the process was "inconclusive."

Also, Senator Hussain said he had resigned his position as commissioner on June 6 and promised to tender theme letter before the appeal committee.