Ogun 2027: PDP rejects claims challenging Adebutu’s eligibility

The Ogun State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party has dismissed claims challenging the eligibility of its 2027 governorship candidate, Oladipupo Adebutu, describing the allegations as a politically motivated attempt to discredit him ahead of the election.

The party was reacting to claims by the Ogun Democratic Accountability Forum questioning Adebutu’s membership status and alleged omission from the PDP’s official membership register.

In a statement on Tuesday, the PDP state Publicity Secretary, Kayode Adebayo, said Adebutu remained a registered and financially compliant member of the party and a recognised leader in Ogun State.

Adebayo said, “Adebutu remains a fully registered, financially compliant and undisputed leader of the party in Ogun State.”

He added that the party had complied with the legal and statutory requirements relating to membership registration and the submission of its membership register to the Independent National Electoral Commission within the stipulated period.

The PDP described the allegations as a “sponsored smear campaign” allegedly designed by the All Progressives Congress and its proxies to create confusion among voters and divert attention from issues the opposition party said could affect the APC ahead of the 2027 election.

The party also alleged that the controversy was intended to draw attention away from questions surrounding the indigeneship of the All Progressives Congress candidate, Solomon Adeola, popularly known as Yayi.

According to the PDP, Adeola’s decision to shift his political base from Lagos State to Ogun State after several years of representing Lagos in the National Assembly had raised questions that the APC needed to address.

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The opposition party further alleged that some federal constituency projects meant for other states had been diverted to Ogun State and used to create an impression of increased development in the state.

The PDP said the alleged diversion of projects was one of the issues it believed were being overshadowed by the “unfounded and baseless” sponsored post concerning Adebutu’s eligibility.

On the legal arguments attributed to ODAF concerning Supreme Court decisions and the payment of nomination fees, the PDP said that “questions of eligibility are governed by the Constitution and the Electoral Act and not by statements issued by political interest groups.”

The party urged INEC to disregard what it described as “pressure from political proxies,” insisting that Adebutu’s nomination remained valid.

The PDP also assured its supporters in Ogun State that Adebutu remained eligible to contest the 2027 governorship election.