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…Ogun PDP supports pressure from APC, insists candidate will participate in vote
…The electoral commission is yet to explain the omission as the party insists Adebutu remains its flagbearer
Daud Olatunji
The Independent National Electoral Commission has released the final list of candidates for the 2027 general elections, placing Ogun State governor, Dapo Abiodun, on the ballot for Ogun East Senatorial District, while the omission of Peoples Democratic Party governorship candidate, Oladipupo Adebutu, has triggered fresh political controversy in the state.
Abiodun, who is seeking election to the Senate on the platform of the All Progressives Congress, is listed alongside PDP candidate, Omotayo Olufemi Abdulhakeem, for the Ogun East contest.
In Ogun Central, former President Olusegun Obasanjo’s daughter, Iyabo Obasanjo, has been listed as the PDP senatorial candidate against the incumbent senator, Shuaibu Afolabi Salisu, who is seeking re-election on the APC platform.
The release of the list of senatorial candidates, however, coincides with the uncertainty surrounding the governorship race following the omission of Adebutu and his running mate from INEC’s final list of candidates for the 2027 Ogun governorship elections.
The development has opened a new political front in Ogun State, with the opposition PDP accusing the ruling APC of allegedly mounting pressure on the electoral commission, while insisting that Adebutu remains its governorship candidate.
The list published by INEC does not indicate why Adebutu and his running mate were omitted. Furthermore, the commission had not provided an official explanation for their absence in the information available at the time of submitting this report.
Abiodun, Omoowo in Ogun East contest
Abiodun’s presence in the final senatorial list triggers a contest between the incumbent governor and PDP’s Abdulhakeem for the Ogun East seat in the National Assembly.
The district is one of the three senatorial constituencies in Ogun State, along with Ogun Central and Ogun West.
Abiodun’s senatorial candidacy adds another significant dimension to the state’s political calculations for 2027, with the governor’s appearance on the list positioning him for a contest against the opposition party’s candidate.
The published information identifies the two candidates and their respective parties. However, the material available for this report did not contain further details on their campaign programs, political priorities and reactions to the final list.
Iyabo Obasanjo takes on Salisu in Ogun Central
In Ogun Central, Iyabo Obasanjo secured a place in the final list as the PDP candidate by staging a contest against Salisu, the incumbent APC senator representing the district.
Obasanjo, former senator and daughter of the former Nigerian president, returns to the center of the state electoral competition through the PDP ticket.
Her presence on the list puts her in direct competition with Salisu, whose party, the APC, is also fielding Abiodun for the Ogun East senatorial race.
The two senatorial races are expected to be among the major contests to watch in Ogun State as political parties and their candidates prepare for the 2027 elections.
The final list confirms the inclusion of the candidates but does not in itself determine the outcome of the competitions, which will depend on the electoral process and the votes cast by those entitled to vote.
INEC’s omission throws Adebutu’s governorship candidacy into uncertainty
While senatorial candidates were included in the published list, Adebutu and his running mate are absent from INEC’s final list of governorship candidates for Ogun State.
The list contains 13 candidates for governor, according to reports published by the commission, but does not include a PDP candidate.
The APC is represented by Senator Solomon Adeola, popularly known as Yayi, with Kudirat Balogun listed as his running mate.
Adebutu had earlier emerged as the PDP governorship candidate for the 2027 elections, making his absence from the final list a significant development for the opposition party.
The omission has raised doubts about the status of the PDP ticket and the steps they might follow before the elections.
However, the document published by the commission does not explain the reason for the omission, and it would be premature to conclude that Adebutu has been permanently disqualified or that it is due to a particular electoral requirement without official clarification.
Ogun PDP denounces pressure from APC
Reacting to the development, the Ogun State chapter of the PDP expressed confidence that Adebutu would eventually be included in the ballot.
The party, in a statement signed by its publicity secretary, Arc. Kayode Adebayo, urged residents, party members and supporters to remain calm, insisting that Adebutu remains his candidate for the upcoming governorship election.
The opposition party said the omission was a result of pressure exerted by the APC on INEC, claiming that the ruling party was worried about its electoral prospects.
The PDP, however, did not provide evidence in the statement to substantiate its accusation against the APC.
The ruling party’s response to the accusation was not contained in the material available for this report.
The PDP further maintained that Adebutu had fulfilled the party membership registration requirements within the stipulated period.
According to the statement, the governorship candidate digitally registered as a member of the PDP, obtained his membership card and had his registration verified before the relevant documents were submitted to INEC within the prescribed deadlines.
The party also dismissed suggestions that Adebutu had left the PDP, insisting that he would remain a member of the opposition party.
Reaffirming its position, the PDP said it is confident that its candidate will be listed and participate in the 2027 governorship elections.
“No desperate manipulation, political witch-hunt or calculated distraction will alter the mandate of the people of Ogun State,” the statement read.
The party called on its members and supporters to remain steadfast and vigilant, urging residents not to be distracted by the controversy surrounding the omission of the candidate.
Questions about the electoral process
The omission of Adebutu’s name has brought renewed attention to the process leading to the publication of INEC’s final list and the requirements governing the nomination of candidates by political parties.
While the PDP claims that its candidate complied with membership registration requirements, the available statement does not independently establish that the party and its candidate complied with all applicable election requirements.
Likewise, INEC’s failure to state the reasons for the omission in published information leaves unanswered questions about the status of the PDP ticket.
The next steps of the commission, the party and the candidates concerned will therefore be crucial in determining the development of the dispute.
The PDP’s assurance that Adebutu will be on the ballot represents the party’s position, rather than confirmation that INEC has agreed to reinstate his name.
Until the commission provides clarification or releases an amended list, the status of the PDP governorship mandate remains uncertain.
Wider implications for Ogun 2027
The developments have placed Ogun State’s governorship and senatorial elections under fresh scrutiny ahead of the 2027 elections.
While Abiodun and Abdulhakeem are listed for Ogun East, and Iyabo Obasanjo and Salisu are listed for Ogun Central, the controversy surrounding Adebutu’s omission has introduced uncertainty into the governorship contest.
For the PDP, ensuring the inclusion of its governorship candidate would be crucial to its preparations for the elections. For INEC, any clarification on the omission would help answer questions about the published list and the status of affected candidates.
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