The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governorship candidate in Ogun State, Ladi Adebutu, has dismissed the omission of his name from the Independent National Electoral Commission’s (INEC) final list of candidates as a temporary distraction.
Adebutu said the development would not disrupt his political activities or derail his ambition to become governor of the state.
INEC omitted Adebutu from its final list of candidates for the Feb. 6, 2027 governorship election in Ogun State.
The list, signed by the commission’s Secretary, Rose Oriaran-Anthony, and published on INEC’s website, contained 13 candidates but no representative of the PDP.
His exclusion came amid growing uncertainty over his party membership, following reports that his name was missing from the PDP register submitted to INEC.
Reacting to the controversy, Adebutu reaffirmed his loyalty to the PDP, insisting that he remained a committed member of the party.
He spoke on Monday in Abeokuta while receiving defectors from the All Progressives Congress (APC), stressing that he had remained with the PDP throughout his political career.
Adebutu challenged anyone questioning his membership to provide evidence that he had ever visited another party’s office.
“I have been a candidate of the PDP five consecutive times. For the last 20 years, every election cycle, I have been a candidate of PDP.
“At what stage did I leave the party? Where is the proof that for one day, I even visited APC office,” he said.
The PDP chieftain also claimed that he actively participated in organising and financing the party’s recent membership registration exercise in Ogun State, which reportedly recorded about 19,800 members.
He disclosed that his registration number was 1536, questioning how his membership could be disputed despite his involvement in the exercise.
“For somebody that registered almost 20,000, and whose number is 1536? So I don’t know the magic; the story is up to Nigerians to decide,” he said.
Despite his omission from INEC’s list, Adebutu maintained that his consultations across the state were progressing, noting that he had visited 12 of the 20 local government areas and 140 of the 236 wards.
He described the development as an attempt to slow down his political activities and discourage voters, but expressed confidence that the situation would eventually work in his favour.
“There is justice in Nigeria. I was duly registered. I orchestrated registration in this state. The precondition for holding primaries is that you must be attested to be a party member.
“This is just to slow down the process and make the people disenfranchised and disenchanted.
“But never mind, it will end and it will even be a blessing to us. We will not be distracted; we keep our eyes on the ball and we shall win,” he said.
