The Federal High Court in Abuja has ordered the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to reinstate Ladi Adebutu as the 2027 Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governorship candidate in Ogun State.
Justice Peter Lifu gave the order on Friday, November 13, 2026, while delivering judgment in a suit filed by Adebutu and the PDP against INEC over his exclusion from the final list of governorship candidates.
The judge ruled that INEC had no authority to remove a candidate sponsored by a political party without obtaining a court order.
Adebutu’s reinstatement comes after weeks of controversy over his eligibility to contest the Ogun governorship election.
The controversy started after two civil society organizations, Ogun Democratic Accountability Forum and Elections Integrity Watch, raised concerns about his membership records.
The groups claimed that a Certified True Copy of the PDP membership register obtained from INEC did not contain Adebutu’s name.
However, the Ogun PDP rejected the allegations, insisting that Adebutu was a registered member of the party and had fulfilled all requirements to contest the election.
Despite the PDP’s position, INEC excluded Adebutu and his running mate from the final list of governorship candidates published on October 10, 2026.
Following the development, the PDP approached the Federal High Court in Abuja, seeking an order compelling the electoral commission to recognize Adebutu as its candidate.
INEC defended its decision, arguing that its examination of the PDP membership register did not establish Adebutu’s membership details.
