The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has excluded the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governorship candidate in Ogun State, Hon. Oladipupo Adebutu, and his running mate, Yemi Sowunmi-Kolapo, from its final list of candidates for the February 6, 2027 governorship election.
This follows the release of INEC’s final list of governorship candidates published on Saturday, which was signed by the commission’s Secretary, Rose Oriaran-Anthony.
The exclusion leaves the PDP governorship ticket absent from the 13 candidates listed by the commission for the election, raising questions about the party’s participation in the contest.
However, the list includes the All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship candidate Senator Solomon Olamilekan Adeola, while the names of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) governorship candidate, Jimi Adebisi Lawal, and his running mate, Florence Olutayo, were listed as a result of court order.
Candidates from several other parties listed include Okewole Shuaib of Accord Party; Awofala Awoniyi of the Action Alliance (AA); Anifowose Kayode of the Action Democratic Party (ADP); Babajide Mathew of the Allied Peoples Movement (APM); and Layi Halima of the Action Peoples Party (APP).
Others are Adenuga Dreher of the Boot Party (BP); Dasaolu Olamilekan of the National Democratic Party (NDP); Akinbola Hammed of the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP); Fayoyin Ezekiel of the National Rescue Movement (NRM); Ola Willams of the Social Democratic Party (SDP); and Johnson Cyrus of the Young Progressives Party (YPP).
Adebutu’s exclusion comes amid questions about his eligibility to run for next year’s elections, following allegations by civil society groups that his name was missing from the party’s membership register submitted to INEC.
The two civil society groups, Ogun Democratic Accountability Forum and Elections Integrity Watch had raised concerns about Adebutu’s absence from the party’s register and demanded for his disqualification in the governorship election race.
Elections Integrity Watch said a certified true copy of the PDP membership register it obtained from INEC did not contain Adebutu’s name, raising questions about the documentation supporting his candidacy.
As of the time of filing this report, INEC had yet to publicly explain the omission of Adebutu and his running mate.
The Electoral Act 2026 outlines a procedure for political parties whose candidates’ names are missing from INEC’s published list.
Section 32(1) requires the commission to publish the names and addresses of all candidates standing nominated at least 60 days before an election.
Under Section 32(2), a registered political party that discovers its candidate’s name is missing must notify INEC in writing within 14 days of publication. The notification must be signed by the party’s national chairman and secretary and supported by an affidavit.
The provisions establish a formal process for notifying INEC about an omitted candidate. However, the precise implications for the PDP ticket depends on the circumstances surrounding the omission and any subsequent action by the party or the commission.
As of press time on Saturday night, the PDP had not publicly indicated if it had formally notified INEC of the omission or whether it intended to challenge the published list.
Ogun State is among the 28 states in the country scheduled to hold governorship elections on February 6, 2027, alongside elections into their respective Houses of Assembly.
