Court orders INEC to reinstate Ladi Adebutu as PDP governorship candidate in Ogun within 24 hours
The Federal High Court in Abuja held that INEC has no power to disqualify a candidate nominated by a party, and that his right to fair hearing was breached.
A Federal High Court in Abuja has ordered the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to restore the name of Ladi Adebutu to its list as the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate for the 2027 Ogun State governorship election, within 24 hours. Justice Peter Lifu gave the judgment on Friday, according to Arise News, THISAGE and The Whistler.
The case arose from INEC's list of candidates published on 10 October, which did not carry Adebutu's name. The PDP, Adebutu and the party's National Secretary filed suit on 22 October, naming INEC as the only defendant, with Ahmed Raji, SAN, as their lawyer. They asked the court to rule on six questions and grant 11 reliefs, relying on the right to fair hearing and Sections 29 and 32 of the Electoral Act, 2026.
Justice Lifu held that INEC acted unlawfully. He said the commission has no constitutional authority to remove a candidate validly nominated by a party, and that the power to invalidate a nomination or disqualify a candidate belongs to the Federal High Court or a State High Court. He called the exclusion unlawful, unconstitutional and of no effect, held that Adebutu's right to fair hearing had been breached, and dismissed INEC's preliminary objection to the suit.
The judge also set out the timeline from the evidence. Adebutu had sought the governorship in 2019 and 2023 and took part in the 2027 primary. The party published his name on 29 August with no challenge, and when INEC's list came out in October he was missing although he had not withdrawn. On 14 October the PDP and its National Secretary wrote INEC to reverse the omission, without result.
INEC's defence, as reported by Arise News, was that it was bound by the Electoral Act and that the suit should be dismissed. The PDP's witness, Umar Bature, said the party's membership list, which carried over 30,000 names, was submitted on 22 April on a flash drive and contained Adebutu's name, and that Adebutu was the first to register as a member, on 24 February 2026. He also argued that the flash drive INEC presented was not the one the party submitted.
The Whistler reported that the PDP hailed the ruling. The Eagle Online reported that the Ogun APC replied that a court victory is not an electoral mandate, a reminder that the ballot, and not the judgment, will decide who governs the state.
The reports did not say whether INEC will comply within the 24 hours or appeal. How INEC responds will be watched closely.
SOURCE: Arise News
