Court Orders INEC to Restore Adebutu as Ogun PDP Governorship Candidate

(Oladipupo Adebutu. Photo Credit: Ripples Nigeria)
The Federal High Court in Abuja has ordered INEC to restore Oladipupo Adebutu as the PDP's governorship candidate in Ogun State.

Justice Peter Lifu made the ruling on Friday in a suit brought by the PDP and Adebutu.

The case, numbered FHC/ABJ/CS/2573/2026, was filed on October 22 after INEC left Adebutu's name off its final list of candidates for the February 6 2027 governorship election.

That list was published on October 10.

The PDP and Adebutu argued that dropping his name violated his right to a fair hearing and breached Sections 29 and 32 of the Electoral Act 2026.

They asked the court to force INEC to publish his name within 24 hours of the judgment.

INEC defended its decision in a counter affidavit.

It said Adebutu's name was not in the membership register the PDP had submitted.

Its records showed only the party's deputy governorship candidate, Kolapo Lateefat Oyeyemi, in the register.

INEC also said the membership serial number Adebutu cited, 1536, belonged to someone else, Lugboso Sunday Seun.

Justice Lifu heard both sides, reviewed their final written arguments and sided with the PDP and Adebutu.

He ordered INEC to restore his name.