Ogun 2027: Leave APC Out of Adebutu’s Problems – Oladele Slams Iyabo Obasanjo, PDP
The Chairman of the Ogun State All Progressives Congress (APC) 2027 Campaign Planning Committee, Hon. Kayode Oladele, has asked former Senator Iyabo Obasanjo and leaders of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to study the Electoral Act rather than accuse the ruling party of engineering the omission of Hon. Ladi Adebutu from the list of governorship candidates. Oladele described insinuations that the APC was afraid of Adebutu as baseless propaganda, saying the PDP should examine its electoral challenges against the backdrop of its internal crisis, statutory obligations and subsisting judicial decisions.
The international lawyer, former member of the House of Representatives and former Acting Executive Chairman of the Federal Character Commission, said the PDP must confront the legal questions surrounding Adebutu’s candidacy instead of blaming its opponents.
In a statement on Wednesday, Oladele expressed disappointment at the reactions of Obasanjo and PDP leaders, given their experience in public affairs and access to legal guidance on electoral matters.
“The APC is not afraid of Adebutu or any other candidate. Elections are governed by laws, not emotions or political sentiments. If the PDP has encountered legal difficulties, it should confront those difficulties rather than manufacture allegations against the APC,” he said.
He said the controversy should be situated within the provisions of the Electoral Act and the Supreme Court decision in Zenith Labour Party v. INEC, particularly as it relates to the statutory obligations of political parties in the nomination and submission of candidates. According to him, a candidate cannot escape the legal disabilities of his sponsoring party, as Nigeria’s electoral framework does not recognise independent candidacy.
“A candidate cannot escape the legal disabilities of the political party sponsoring him. There are no independent candidates under Nigeria’s present electoral framework. Consequently, where a political party is legally disabled from taking a particular electoral step, its candidate cannot acquire a right that the sponsoring party does not possess,” he said.”The PDP should therefore concentrate on understanding the enormity of its electoral challenges instead of accusing the APC of being afraid of Adebutu.”
Oladele also faulted the argument that the appearance of other PDP candidates on the published list proved that Adebutu was deliberately excluded.”The fact that other PDP candidates appeared on the list does not, by itself, prove that every statutory requirement applicable to Adebutu was satisfied. The relevant nomination records, legal provisions and judicial decisions must be examined before conclusions are drawn,” he said.
He challenged Senator Obasanjo’s interpretation of the development, noting that scientific reasoning, which she often invokes, demands evidence.
“Senator Iyabo Obasanjo should appreciate that science is founded on evidence, not conjecture. If she believes the APC influenced INEC’s decision, she should provide credible evidence rather than present political suspicion as an established fact.”As someone who has served in the Senate, she should understand that electoral disputes are resolved through the application of law and established procedures, not by attributing every unfavourable development to political opponents,” he added.
Oladele dismissed suggestions that Senator Solomon Olamilekan Adeola, popularly known as Yayi, needed Adebutu’s exclusion to enhance his governorship prospects, saying Adeola’s standing rests on his record of public service and development interventions across the state.”Senator Adeola has a record to defend and achievements to present to the people. His roads, schools, healthcare interventions and other infrastructure projects are visible across communities,” he said.
He stressed that the APC was ready to face any legally qualified opponent in a free and fair contest, provided such contest is conducted within the ambit of the law. Oladele urged PDP leaders to reflect on the legal implications of the Supreme Court judgment, which he described as final and binding.
“Unfortunately for the PDP, the Supreme Court’s decision is final and binding. Its legal consequences cannot be reversed by political statements, media campaigns or contrary pronouncements from lower courts. That is not the handiwork of the APC but the natural operation of the law,” he said.
He added that INEC is constitutionally bound to act in accordance with the law and comply with binding decisions of superior courts, noting that allegations of manipulation must be supported with credible evidence. According to him, the PDP’s internal divisions and unresolved nomination controversies have become major obstacles requiring urgent attention. “Unfortunately for the PDP, its present predicament is a self-inflicted crisis arising from its internal divisions and the legal consequences of a final and binding Supreme Court judgment. Neither the APC nor Senator Adeola created the PDP’s problems, and neither should be made a scapegoat for its failures.
“It is the height of political dishonesty for a party that has failed to put its own house in order to turn around and accuse its opponents of engineering its misfortune. The PDP cannot substitute blame-shifting, propaganda and manufactured outrage for political discipline and compliance with the law. It must take responsibility for its internal crisis and face the consequences of its own actions,” Oladele said.
He noted that the PDP in Ogun State has been engulfed in factional crises, parallel congresses and litigations since 2019, adding that the APC cannot be blamed for the opposition party’s inability to put its house in order. Oladele also cautioned Senator Iyabo Obasanjo against what he termed “unfounded accusations,” urging her to advise her party to embrace internal reconciliation rather than resort to blame games.
“The PDP should stop living in self-denial. Ogun people have moved beyond propaganda. They are assessing parties based on performance, and the APC government under Governor Dapo Abiodun has delivered visible projects across the state,” he added.
He maintained that as the 2027 general elections approach, the APC will remain focused on governance and issue-based campaigns, rather than being distracted by opposition politics.
