The Federal High Court in Abuja has ordered the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to reinstate Ladi Adebutu as the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governorship candidate for the 2027 Ogun State election.
The court directed INEC to restore Adebutu’s name to its list of candidates within 24 hours.
Justice Peter Lifu gave the order in a judgment delivered on Friday, ruling that the electoral commission lacked the authority to independently disqualify a candidate validly nominated by a political party.
The judge also held that INEC violated Adebutu’s right to fair hearing by removing his name without giving him an opportunity to defend himself.
He described the commission’s action as unlawful, unconstitutional and of no effect.
Justice Lifu further ruled that the power to disqualify a candidate whose name had been submitted by a political party rests with the Federal High Court or a State High Court.
According to the judge, INEC ought to have approached a competent court if it believed Adebutu was not qualified to contest the election.
The court faulted the commission for excluding Adebutu despite his participation in the PDP governorship primary held on May 24, 2026, which it declared valid.
It also dismissed INEC’s evidence that Adebutu’s name was missing from the party’s membership register.
The judge noted that the commission’s witness, Mustapha Mohammed, admitted during cross-examination that he was not the official who received the flash drive containing the PDP membership register.
Consequently, the court ordered INEC to amend the list of governorship candidates it published on October 10, 2026, to include Adebutu’s name.
