BREAKING: Court Orders INEC To Reinstate Ladi Adebutu As Ogun PDP Governorship Candidate
The Federal High Court sitting in Abuja has ordered the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to reinstate Oladipupo Adebutu as the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governorship candidate for Ogun State ahead of the 2027 general elections.
The court, presided over by Justice Peter Lifu, on Friday, November 13, directed INEC to immediately restore Adebutu’s name to the list of candidates cleared to contest the 2027 Ogun State governorship election and publish it within 24 hours.
The judgment followed a suit instituted by the PDP and Adebutu challenging the electoral commission’s decision to exclude his name from the final list of governorship candidates published on October 10.
In its ruling, the court held that INEC had no authority to remove a candidate sponsored by a political party without a court order.
Justice Lifu also held that the PDP had established that Adebutu was a registered member of the party in Ogun State, questioning the commission’s authority to determine the party’s membership records.
The judge further faulted INEC for failing to provide evidence that the flash drive submitted by the PDP had been altered.
Adebutu and the PDP had approached the court after INEC omitted his name from the final list, maintaining that the commission’s action was unlawful.
The ruling now directs the electoral commission to restore Adebutu’s name within the stipulated 24-hour period.
The development marks a significant turn in the legal battle over the PDP’s participation in the 2027 Ogun State governorship election.
