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The Federal High Court in Abuja has fixed Friday to deliver judgment in a suit filed by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and its Ogun State governorship candidate, Oladipupo Adebutu, seeking an order compelling the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to recognise him as the party’s candidate for the 2027 governorship election.

Justice Peter Lifu fixed the judgment date after parties concluded the presentation of evidence and adopted their final written addresses in the suit marked FHC/ABJ/CS/2573/2026.

The PDP and Adebutu instituted the action on October 22, challenging INEC’s decision to exclude the former from its final list of candidates for the Ogun governorship election released on October 10.

Through their counsel, Ahmed Raji, SAN, the plaintiffs asked the court to set aside the commission’s decision to omit, remove or refuse to publish Adebutu’s name.

They argued that INEC’s action violated their right to fair hearing and contravened Sections 29 and 32 of the Electoral Act, 2026.

The plaintiffs also urged the court to direct the electoral commission to publish Adebutu’s name as the PDP governorship candidate within 24 hours of its order.

However, INEC opposed the suit, maintaining that Adebutu’s name was absent from the register of party members submitted by the PDP.

In a counter-affidavit deposed to by Mustapha Mohammed, a Chief Programme Analyst in the commission’s Information and Communication Technology Department, INEC said its records contained the name of only the party’s deputy governorship candidate, Yemi Sowunmi-Kolapo.

At the November 5 proceedings, both parties presented witnesses to support their respective positions.

The PDP National Organising Secretary, Umar Bature, testified for the plaintiffs, insisting that Adebutu’s name was included in the flash drive containing the party’s candidates’ list submitted to INEC.

Led in evidence by Raji, Bature disputed the colour of the flash drive presented by INEC, maintaining that the device submitted by the PDP was silver.

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He explained that the party submitted its candidates’ list electronically through the flash drive in compliance with the Electoral Act and Paragraph 4(3) of Part 1 of INEC’s Regulations and Guidelines for Political Parties, 2026.

However, Mohammed, who testified for INEC, maintained that Adebutu’s name was missing from the submitted list. He also told the court that the commission received both hard and soft copies of the candidates’ list from the PDP.

Meanwhile, the PDP has warned the All Progressives Congress (APC) against vote-buying in Ogun State, insisting that financial inducements would not override the will of voters in the forthcoming election.

Friday’s judgment is expected to determine the immediate legal dispute over Adebutu’s inclusion in INEC’s list of governorship candidates.

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Amarachi Ihesiulo

Ihesiulo Grace Amarachi is a Nigerian journalist, writer and media professional serving as the Editor-in-Chief of TheTraffic.NG, a digital news platform covering national and international affairs. Her editorial interests span politics, business, aviation, health, technology, entertainment, sports and social development. She is committed to credible journalism, insightful reporting and compelling storytelling that informs public discourse and keeps readers abreast of important developments in Nigeria, Africa and beyond.

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