Court Orders INEC to Reinstate PDP Governorship Candidate Ladi Adebutu on Ogun Election List
The Federal High Court in Abuja has ordered the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to reinstate Ladi Adebutu, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governorship candidate in Ogun State, on its list of candidates for the 2027 governorship election.
The court directed INEC to restore Adebutu’s name within 24 hours, ruling that the commission lacked the power to unilaterally disqualify a candidate nominated by a political party.
Delivering the judgment, Justice Peter Lifu held that Adebutu’s right to fair hearing had been violated, adding that the power to disqualify a candidate after the submission of his name rests with the Federal High Court.
The judge declared Adebutu’s exclusion from the candidates’ list unlawful, unconstitutional and of no effect.
However, the judge dismissed INEC’s preliminary objection seeking to have the suit thrown out before proceeding to determine the substantive issues raised by the plaintiffs.
Justice Lifu noted that Adebutu participated in the PDP primary election for the 2027 governorship poll and that the party published his name on August 29, 2026, without any legal challenge within the stipulated period.
The court further held that the power to nominate candidates for elections rests exclusively with political parties, adding that INEC cannot independently remove a party’s candidate without following due legal process.
Consequently, the judge directed INEC to correct the final candidates’ list published on October 10, 2026, to include Adebutu’s name.
The court also ruled that INEC cannot validly declare the result of the 2027 Ogun governorship election without Adebutu’s participation, warning that any such election would be unconstitutional and of no effect.
Court Orders INEC to Reinstate PDP Governorship Candidate Ladi Adebutu on Ogun Election List