Oladipupo Adebutu, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governorship candidate in Ogun State, has welcomed a Federal High Court order directing the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to restore his name to the list of candidates for the 2027 governorship election within 24 hours.
Justice Peter Lifu issued the order in Abuja on Friday, 13 November, following a suit filed by Adebutu and the PDP against INEC.
The court ruled that INEC lacked the power to unilaterally disqualify a candidate validly nominated by a political party. It also held that the commission breached Adebutu’s right to fair hearing by excluding his name from the published candidates’ list.
Reacting to the judgment, Adebutu described the ruling as a victory for justice, the rule of law and democratic principles.
In a statement, he said the judiciary had reaffirmed public confidence in the justice system. He also described the judgment as an important step towards resolving the dispute over his exclusion from INEC’s list.
Oladipupo Adebutu thanked the PDP national leadership, particularly Nyesom Wike and National Chairman Abdulrahman Mohammed, for their support during the legal proceedings.
He also acknowledged the Ogun State chapter of the party and his supporters for standing by him throughout the process.
Meanwhile, the PDP candidate urged his supporters to remain calm, focused and committed to their political activities.
He stressed that their mission went beyond an individual or a political contest.
Adebutu also reaffirmed his commitment to engaging residents across Ogun State and addressing the challenges facing the state.
He said the court ruling would not distract him from that responsibility.
The judgment requires INEC to update its published candidates’ list to reflect Adebutu’s nomination as the PDP candidate for the 2027 Ogun governorship election.
