…Ogun PDP Alleges APC Pressure, Insists Candidate Will Be On Ballot
…Electoral Commission Yet to Explain Omission As Party Insists Adebutu Remains Its Flag Bearer
Daud Olatunji
The Independent National Electoral Commission has published its final list of candidates for the 2027 general elections, placing Ogun State Governor, Dapo Abiodun, on the ballot for the Ogun East Senatorial District, while the omission of the 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 the PDP candidate, Omotayo Olufemi Abdulhakeem, for the Ogun East contest.
In Ogun Central, daughter of former President Olusegun Obasanjo, 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 publication of the senatorial candidates’ list, however, coincides with 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 election.
The development has opened a fresh 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.
INEC’s published list does not state why Adebutu and his running mate were omitted. The commission had also not provided an official explanation for their absence in the information available at the time of filing this report.
Abiodun, Omoowo in Ogun East contest
Abiodun’s appearance on the final senatorial list sets up a contest between the sitting governor and Abdulhakeem of the PDP for the Ogun East seat in the National Assembly.
The district is one of the three senatorial constituencies in Ogun State, alongside Ogun Central and Ogun West.
Abiodun’s senatorial candidacy adds another significant dimension to the state’s 2027 political calculations, with the governor’s emergence on the list positioning him for a contest against the opposition party’s nominee.
The published information identifies the two candidates and their respective parties. However, further details about their campaign programmes, policy priorities and reactions to the final list were not contained in the materials available for this report.
Iyabo Obasanjo faces Salisu in Ogun Central
In Ogun Central, Iyabo Obasanjo has secured a place on the final list as the PDP’s candidate, setting up a contest against Salisu, the incumbent APC senator representing the district.
Obasanjo, a former senator and daughter of the former Nigerian president, is returning to the centre of the state’s electoral contest through the PDP ticket.
Her appearance on the list places her in direct competition with Salisu, whose party, the APC, is also fielding Abiodun for the Ogun East senatorial contest.
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 candidates’ inclusion but does not, by itself, determine the outcome of the contests, which will depend on the electoral process and votes cast by eligible voters.
INEC omission throws Adebutu’s governorship bid into uncertainty
While the senatorial candidates have been included on 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 governorship candidates, according to reports on the commission’s publication, 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 previously emerged as the PDP’s governorship candidate for the 2027 election, making his absence from the final list a significant development for the opposition party.
The omission has raised questions about the status of the PDP ticket and the steps that may follow before the election.
However, the commission’s published document does not explain the reason for the omission, and it would be premature to conclude that Adebutu has been finally disqualified or that a particular electoral requirement was responsible without an official clarification.
Ogun PDP alleges APC pressure
Reacting to the development, the Ogun State chapter of the PDP expressed confidence that Adebutu would eventually be included on 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 remained its candidate for the forthcoming governorship election.
The opposition party alleged that the omission was the result of pressure allegedly mounted by the APC on INEC, claiming that the ruling party was concerned about its prospects in the election.
The PDP, however, did not provide evidence in the statement to substantiate its allegation against the APC.
The ruling party’s response to the allegation was not contained in the materials available for this report.
The PDP also maintained that Adebutu had fulfilled the party’s membership registration requirements within the stipulated period.
According to the statement, the governorship candidate registered digitally as a PDP member, obtained his membership card and had his registration verified before the relevant documents were submitted to INEC within the prescribed timeframe.
The party further dismissed suggestions that Adebutu had left the PDP, insisting that he remained a member of the opposition party.
Reaffirming its position, the PDP said it was confident that its candidate would be listed and participate in the 2027 governorship election.
“No amount of desperate manipulation, political witch-hunts, or calculated distractions can alter the mandate of the people of Ogun State,” the statement said.
The party called on its members and supporters to remain steadfast and vigilant, while urging residents not to be distracted by the controversy surrounding the candidate’s omission.
Questions over electoral process
The omission of Adebutu’s name has placed renewed attention on the process leading to the publication of INEC’s final list and the requirements governing the nomination of candidates by political parties.
Although the PDP says its candidate complied with membership registration requirements, the available statement does not independently establish that the party and its candidate satisfied every applicable electoral requirement.
Similarly, INEC’s failure to state the reasons for the omission in the published information leaves unresolved questions about the status of the PDP ticket.
The next steps by the commission, the party and the affected candidates will therefore be crucial in determining how the controversy unfolds.
The PDP’s assurance that Adebutu will be on the ballot represents the party’s position, rather than confirmation that INEC has agreed to restore his name.
Until the commission provides clarification or publishes an amended list, the status of the PDP governorship ticket remains uncertain.
Wider implications for Ogun 2027
The developments have placed Ogun State’s governorship and senatorial contests 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, securing the inclusion of its governorship candidate would be central to its preparations for the election. For INEC, any clarification of the omission would help address questions about the published list and the status of the affected candidates.
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