Yayi, APC not behind Adebutu’s INEC omission – Campaign council

The Ogun State governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress and Senator representing Ogun West, Sen Solomon Adeola fondly called Yayi while addressing members of the Inter-Party Advisory Council in Abeokuta on Monday. Photo: Taiwo Bankole

The Ogun State All Progressives Congress Campaign Council has warned the Peoples Democratic Party’s governorship candidate, Ladi Adebutu, to stop blaming the ruling party and its candidate, Solomon Adeola, for his omission from the final list of candidates published by the Independent National Electoral Commission.

The council insisted that neither Adeola, popularly known as Yayi, nor the APC should be held responsible for any administrative or procedural lapses in the PDP’s nomination process.

The council gave the warning in a statement by a member of its media and communications committee, Bolaji Adeniji, on Monday.

The electoral commission had omitted Adebutu’s name and that of his running mate, Yemi Sowunmi-Kolapo, from its final list of candidates for the February 6, 2027, governorship election in the state.

Following the development, the PDP accused the ruling party and Adeola of being complicit with INEC over the decision that led to the omission of Adebutu.

Reacting, the council said Adebutu’s omission was a matter of electoral compliance rather than an opportunity to make political accusations against the ruling party.

It urged the opposition party to establish the facts surrounding the development rather than blame its political opponents.

“Adebutu and his supporters must understand that Yayi and the APC are not responsible for the internal administrative and nomination decisions of the PDP. If there is a question about the party’s membership register or compliance with the Electoral Act, the party must address it directly with the umpire,” the council said.

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It added that Adebutu should take responsibility for decisions made within his camp instead of transferring the blame to political opponents.

The council said the key issue was whether the PDP complied with the requirements governing membership registration and participation in party primaries, particularly Section 77(5) of the Electoral Act, 2026.

It urged the PDP to establish whether Adebutu’s name appeared on the relevant register submitted to the commission and whether the process through which he emerged as the party’s candidate complied with the law.

“The law does not ask whether a candidate belongs to the ruling party or the opposition. It asks whether the relevant requirements have been met. If the PDP believes that Adebutu complied with the law, it should present the documents that support its position.

“But if the issue concerns the membership register and the process through which the candidate emerged, blaming YAYI will not answer those questions,” the council added.

It advised Adebutu to focus on the circumstances surrounding his omission and seek redress through the appropriate channels if he believed an injustice had occurred.

“Every political party must take responsibility for its own decisions. Adebutu should direct his attention to the issues that produced this unfortunate situation and use the appropriate route to seek redress if he believes an injustice has occurred,” the council said.