Ogun State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, has urged its members and supporters to remain calm following the exclusion of its governorship candidate, Oladipupo Adebutu, from a list released by the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC.
It expressed confidence that the matter would be resolved before the 2027 election.
The opposition party blamed the development on alleged pressure from the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC, accusing it of attempting to weaken the PDP’s chances in the forthcoming governorship poll.
However, the party insisted that Adebutu remained a legitimate member of the PDP, saying he completed the required membership registration process within the approved period.
In a statement signed by its Publicity Secretary, Kayode Adebayo, the party said Adebutu participated in its digital membership registration exercise, during which his membership card was printed and verified before being submitted to INEC within the stipulated timeframe.
“We state emphatically that our candidate, Hon. Oladipupo Adebutu, has never left the Peoples Democratic Party at any time. He duly registered as a member of the party within the designated period of the digital registration exercise, and his membership card was printed, verified and submitted to INEC at the stipulated time,” the statement said.
The PDP alleged that political interference was responsible for the omission, claiming that the APC was seeking to frustrate its efforts ahead of the 2027 governorship election.
“The omission of our candidate’s name from INEC’s list is a consequence of the undue pressure allegedly mounted on the commission by the ruling party out of fear of losing the election to our party,” Adebayo stated.
Despite the development, the party expressed confidence that Adebutu’s name would be included in the appropriate list of candidates, reaffirming its intention to participate in the 2027 governorship election.
It also appealed to residents of Ogun State not to be distracted by the controversy, urging party members and supporters to remain committed to their political objectives and sustain mobilisation ahead of the poll.
“While we urge the good people of Ogun State not to be perturbed or distracted from our collective resolve to vote out the APC, we remain resolute, unfazed and unwaveringly confident that our candidate is marching towards a decisive victory in the 2027 governorship election,” the statement added.
The party further argued that the omission would not weaken what it described as the determination of Ogun residents to seek improved governance and positive change.
“No amount of desperate manipulation, political witch-hunts or calculated distractions can alter the mandate of the people of Ogun State, who are overwhelmingly eager for true leadership and positive change,” the PDP said.
Reiterating its call for calm, the party urged its members, supporters and other stakeholders to remain resolute and undeterred as it continues its political activities ahead of the 2027 governorship election.
“Once again, we call on all our teeming supporters, party faithful and the general public to remain steadfast, vigilant and unintimidated as the unstoppable movement to rescue Ogun State and bring relief to our people continues to gain momentum,” the party said.
2027: Ogun PDP alleges APC pressure over Adebutu’s omission from INEC list