INEC excludes PDP’S Adebutu, running mate from Ogun 2027 Governorship candidate list
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has excluded the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governorship candidate in Ogun State, Hon. Oladipupo Adebutu, and his running mate from the final list of candidates for the February 6, 2027, governorship election.
The commission published the final list on Saturday evening, featuring 13 governorship candidates representing 13 political parties. However, neither Adebutu nor his deputy appeared on the list, while the reason for their exclusion remained unclear as of the time of filing this report.
The list also showed that the governorship candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Lawal Jimi Adebisi, and his running mate, Olutayo Florence Funlola Folake, were included in compliance with a court order.
Other candidates cleared for the Ogun governorship election are Okewole Shuaib Olaniyi of the Accord Party; Awofala Awolola Awoniyi of the Action Alliance (AA); Anifowose John Kayode of the Action Democratic Party (ADP); and Adeola Solomon Olamilekan of the All Progressives Congress (APC).
Also on the list are Babajide Rotimi Mathew of the Allied Peoples Movement (APM); Layi Labode Halima of the Action Peoples Party (APP); Adenuga Adekunle Dreher of the Boot Party (BP); Dasaolu Oluwaseyi Olamilekan of the National Democratic Party (NDP); and Akinbola Hammed Rotham of the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP).
The remaining candidates are Fayoyin Olujobi Ezekiel of the National Rescue Movement (NRM); Ola Willams Adeyinka of the Social Democratic Party (SDP); and Johnson Cyrus Oluwaseun of the Young Progressives Party (YPP).
Adebutu’s exclusion comes as political parties intensify preparations for the February 6, 2027, governorship and State Houses of Assembly elections, raising questions about the PDP’s participation in the Ogun governorship contest.
Under Section 32(1) of the Electoral Act 2026, INEC is required to publish the names and addresses of nominated candidates at least 60 days before an election.
Section 32(2) of the Act also provides a procedure for a registered political party to notify the commission if the name of its nominated candidate is missing from the published list.
The provision requires the notification to be made in writing, signed by the party’s national chairman and national secretary, and accompanied by an affidavit within 14 days of publication.
The statutory provision offers the PDP a formal channel to bring the omission to INEC’s attention and seek appropriate action in accordance with the law.
Earlier, INEC Chairman, Professor Joash Amupitan, disclosed that 21 of Nigeria’s 22 registered political parties had nominated a total of 936 governorship and deputy governorship candidates across the 28 states scheduled to hold governorship elections in 2027.
The parties also nominated 9,692 candidates for the State Houses of Assembly elections.
Ogun State is among the states scheduled to elect a new governor on February 6, 2027, alongside elections into the state legislature.
With Adebutu and his running mate missing from INEC’s final list, attention is expected to focus on the circumstances surrounding the omission and whether the PDP will invoke the procedure provided under the Electoral Act to address the development.
