The Ogun State governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Ladi Adebutu, has urged his supporters to remain calm following the omission of his name from the Independent National Electoral Commission’s (INEC) final list of candidates for the 2027 governorship election.
In a statement posted on X on Sunday, Adebutu said he completed his online party registration within the stipulated period and submitted all required documents to INEC before the deadline.
He maintained that he remained a registered PDP member and had not defected from the party.
Adebutu also said the PDP governorship primary that produced him as its candidate was conducted in the presence of INEC officials, who attended as observers, adding that the necessary documents were submitted for verification and confirmation.
The PDP candidate expressed concern over his exclusion, alleging that the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) had exerted undue pressure on the electoral commission.
He questioned why his name was missing from the governorship list while PDP candidates contesting seats in the Ogun State House of Assembly, House of Representatives and Senate were included.
Adebutu said the party would pursue the matter through the appropriate channels to ensure due process was followed.
He further alleged that the PDP had faced attempts to disrupt its campaign activities, including restrictions on its billboards, attacks at campaign venues and harassment of party members.
Despite these challenges, he appealed to supporters to remain peaceful, assuring them that efforts were underway to resolve the issue.
Adebutu said intimidation should not prevent Ogun residents from freely choosing their leaders, expressing confidence that the matter would be resolved.
He added that his commitment to improving the lives of Ogun residents remained firm, stressing that the struggle was not about an individual but about protecting the people’s dignity, advancing the state’s development and ensuring residents could determine their future.
