The Federal High Court in Abuja has ordered the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to reinstate Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governorship candidate in Ogun State, Ladi Adebutu, on its list of candidates for the 2027 election within 24 hours.
Justice Peter Lifu, in a judgment delivered on Friday, ruled that INEC lacked the constitutional and statutory powers to unilaterally disqualify a candidate validly nominated by a political party.
The judge also held that the commission violated Adebutu’s right to fair hearing by removing his name from the candidates’ list without giving him an opportunity to defend himself.
Justice Lifu declared the exclusion unlawful, unconstitutional and of no effect, adding that only the Federal High Court or a State High Court could disqualify a candidate whose name had been submitted by a political party.
The judgment followed a suit filed by Adebutu and the PDP after INEC omitted his name from the final list of candidates published on October 10, 2026. The plaintiffs had argued that Adebutu emerged from the party’s governorship primary conducted on May 24, 2026, and that his nomination was not challenged within the legally prescribed period.
The PDP’s National Organising Secretary, Umar Bature, told the court that Adebutu was a registered member of the party and his name was included in the membership register submitted to INEC on April 22, 2026.
However, an INEC witness, Mustapha Mohammed, testified that a search conducted before the publication of the candidates’ list did not show Adebutu’s name in the party’s membership register, although his running mate’s name was found.
Under cross-examination, Mohammed admitted that he was not the official who received the membership register from the PDP and could not confirm the exact contents of the flash drive submitted by the party.
In his ruling, Justice Lifu held that INEC failed to establish that Adebutu was absent from the membership register. He also faulted the commission for failing to challenge the party’s primary election within the time allowed by law.
The judge warned against allowing INEC to exercise powers not conferred on it by the Constitution, saying the commission could not disqualify candidates on its own after their names had been submitted by political parties.
Consequently, the court directed INEC to amend its October 10 candidates’ list to include Adebutu’s name within 24 hours. It further declared that any announcement of the Ogun State governorship election result without the participation of the plaintiffs would be unconstitutional and of no effect.
