A major political and legal development has emerged ahead of the 2027 Ogun State governorship election after the Federal High Court in Abuja ordered the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to recognise and publish the name of Ladi Adebutu as the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governorship candidate.
The judgment, delivered on Friday, November 13, 2026, by Justice Peter Lifu, directed INEC to reinstate Adebutu's name on the official list of governorship candidates within 24 hours.
The ruling represents a significant victory for Adebutu and the PDP, who had challenged the electoral commission's decision to exclude their candidate from the final list published in October.
The court held that INEC acted beyond its statutory powers by removing the name of a duly nominated candidate without obtaining an order from a competent court.
The development has attracted attention across Nigeria's political landscape, particularly in Ogun State, where political parties are preparing for the February 6, 2027 governorship election.
Why INEC Excluded Ladi Adebutu From Its Candidates' List
The controversy began after INEC published its final list of candidates for the 2027 Ogun State governorship election on October 10, 2026.
The list contained 13 governorship candidates but excluded the PDP and its candidate, Ladi Adebutu.
The electoral commission reportedly based its decision on concerns surrounding the PDP membership register submitted to the commission.
INEC maintained that Adebutu's name was missing from the membership register provided by the party, raising questions about whether he satisfied the relevant requirements of the Electoral Act 2026.
The commission argued that political parties were required to comply with statutory provisions governing membership registration and the nomination of candidates.
However, Adebutu and the PDP rejected the decision, insisting that he was a properly registered party member who had successfully participated in the party's governorship primary.
They subsequently approached the Federal High Court in Abuja, asking the judiciary to intervene and compel INEC to recognise their candidate.
Court Rules That INEC Exceeded Its Powers
In delivering the judgment, Justice Peter Lifu held that INEC did not possess the authority to independently disqualify a candidate validly nominated by a political party.
The judge explained that the responsibility for nominating candidates belonged exclusively to political parties, while INEC's responsibility included receiving and publishing candidates' names in accordance with the law.
According to the court, if the electoral commission believed that a candidate was not qualified to contest an election, it should approach a competent court rather than independently remove the candidate's name.
Justice Lifu described the exclusion of Adebutu as unlawful, unconstitutional and without legal effect.
The judge also warned against allowing INEC to exercise powers that were not expressly granted to it by law.
He observed that permitting the commission to independently disqualify candidates could create a dangerous situation in which candidates might be removed shortly before an election without adequate judicial oversight.
The court consequently directed INEC to correct the list published on October 10 and include Adebutu's name as the PDP governorship candidate.
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