The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Ogun State has moved to challenge the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) over the exclusion of its governorship candidate, Oladipupo Adebutu, from the list of candidates for the 2027 governorship election.
Politics Nigeria reports that the party said it was taking legal action to ensure that Adebutu’s name is restored to the list ahead of the February 6, 2027 election.
The development comes after the electoral commission declined to clear the former lawmaker following a review of complaints submitted by political parties over the omission of their candidates.
PDP Publicity Secretary in Ogun State, Architect Kayode Adebayo, confirmed the party’s decision to approach the court.
He disclosed that legal proceedings would commence this week, although he could not immediately provide the specific date for the hearing.
Speaking on the development, Adebayo said the party was determined to pursue the matter through the judicial process rather than abandon its candidate’s participation in the forthcoming election.
He said, “I don’t have the details, and I don’t want to mislead the public. But I know definitely that we are going to court this week.
“The hearing will start, and the case will commence this week. But I don’t have the actual date, so I don’t want to be misquoted.”
The PDP spokesman also appealed to party members and supporters to remain calm while the legal process unfolds.
He expressed confidence that the matter would receive proper judicial attention and that Adebutu would eventually be included among the candidates contesting the Ogun governorship election.
Adebayo maintained that the party had confidence in the judiciary and expected the court to examine the circumstances surrounding the exclusion.
He said, “If democracy is at play, we believe that the court is the last hope of the people. We believe in the court process, and we hope that, at the end of the day, the case will be heard and fairly judged.”
Adebutu’s exclusion has generated controversy within the Ogun PDP, particularly because the party insists that he remains its recognised governorship candidate.
The former House of Representatives member was among several prominent politicians whose names were missing when INEC released its final list of governorship candidates on October 10.
His running mate was also excluded from the published list, leaving the PDP without a recognised governorship ticket in Ogun State.
INEC’s initial publication contained candidates from 13 political parties in Ogun State. However, neither Adebutu nor his running mate appeared on the list.
The commission’s action came amid disagreements over compliance with provisions of the Electoral Act 2026, particularly the requirements concerning the submission of political party membership registers.
The controversy followed a September 24 Supreme Court judgment concerning Sections 77(5), 77(6) and 77(7) of the Electoral Act 2026.
The provisions require political parties to submit their membership registers to INEC within the stipulated period.
They also establish requirements for membership registration ahead of party primaries and other internal electoral activities.
INEC subsequently explained that the exclusion of some candidates was connected to their political parties’ compliance with the membership register requirements.
The commission maintained that parties must satisfy the relevant legal provisions before they can validly sponsor candidates for elections.
Adebutu, however, rejected the circumstances surrounding his exclusion.
He previously maintained that he was a properly registered member of the PDP and had completed his digital registration within the required period.
He also insisted that his membership details had been verified and that the necessary documents were submitted to the electoral commission.
The PDP has similarly maintained that it fulfilled the requirements for nominating its candidate and has questioned the decision to leave his name out of the final publication.
The commission received several complaints from political parties and subsequently reviewed the affected nominations.
Following the review, INEC cleared former Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Isa Ali Pantami, who is the PDP governorship candidate in Gombe State.
Pantami’s name was included in the updated list published on October 31, alongside his running mate, Haruna Ahmadu Hasan.
However, Adebutu’s situation remained unresolved as INEC did not restore his name to the Ogun State list.
The commission also maintained the exclusion of Aminu Abdussalam Gwarzo, the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) governorship candidate in Kano State, although his situation involves a separate legal dispute.
INEC’s decision to clear Pantami but retain Adebutu’s exclusion has further drawn attention to the different complaints submitted by the affected candidates and their political parties.
The All Progressives Congress (APC) has its candidate, Olamilekan Adeola, popularly known as Yayi, listed for the contest, alongside candidates from other registered political parties.
Adebutu’s absence therefore leaves the PDP facing uncertainty over its participation in the governorship race unless the matter is resolved through the appropriate legal process.
The party has not indicated any intention to abandon its candidate. Instead, its leadership has continued to express confidence that the judicial process will address the dispute.
Recall that POLITICS NIGERIA previously reported that the PDP had raised concerns after INEC omitted Adebutu’s name from its final list of governorship candidates published on October 10.
