Chairman of the Ogun State All Progressives Congress 2027 Campaign Planning Committee, Hon. Kayode Oladele, has challenged Senator Iyabo Obasanjo and leaders of the Peoples Democratic Party in the state to familiarise themselves with the Electoral Act instead of accusing the ruling APC of masterminding Hon. Ladi Adebutu’s omission from the list of governorship candidates.
Oladele also dismissed claims that the APC feared Adebutu as baseless political propaganda, stressing that the PDP’s electoral problems should be examined in light of its internal crisis, statutory obligations and the legal consequences of relevant judicial decisions.
The APC, who is former member of the House of Representatives and ex-Acting Executive Chairman of the Federal Character Commission, said the PDP should address the legal questions surrounding Adebutu’s candidacy rather than attribute its current predicament to political opponents.
Oladele, in a statement, described the reactions of Obasanjo and PDP leaders as disappointing, particularly given their experience in public affairs and the availability of 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 maintained that the controversy should be examined against the provisions of the Electoral Act and the implications of the Supreme Court’s decision in Zenith Labour Party v. INEC, particularly concerning the statutory obligations of political parties and the submission of candidates.
His statement added, “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.
“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 dismissed the argument that the inclusion of other PDP candidates on INEC’s published list automatically established that Adebutu’s exclusion was deliberate.
“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.
Oladele further questioned Iyabo Obasanjo’s interpretation of the development, arguing that her reference to scientific reasoning should ordinarily demand a more rigorous examination of the facts.
He stated, “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.”
Oladele, however, dismissed insinuations that INEC’s exclusion of Adebutu would be advantageous to the ambition of the APC governorship candidate, Senator Solomon Olamilekan Adeola, popularly known as Yayi.
He maintained that Adeola’s chances are firmly built on his outstanding record of public service, development initiatives and political organisation across Ogun 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,” Oladele stated.
He said the APC flagbearer was adequately prepared to compete with any legally qualified opponent in a free and fair election, stressing that political competition must remain subject to the law.
Oladele also advised PDP leaders to examine the legal implications of the Supreme Court judgment rather than pointing accusing fingers to the APC.
“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.
Stressing that INEC was under a constitutional obligation to act within the law and comply with binding judicial decisions, he added that allegations of deliberate manipulation must be supported by credible evidence.
Oladele maintained that the PDP’s internal divisions and unresolved nomination controversies had become serious obstacles requiring urgent legal and political attention.
He further stated, “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.”
