Former senator and Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) senatorial candidate for Ogun Central, Iyabo Obasanjo, has dismissed concerns that the omission of governorship candidate Ladi Adebutu from INEC’s published list could hurt the party’s chances in the 2027 elections. Obasanjo expressed confidence that Adebutu’s name would eventually be restored, insisting that the development would not discourage […]
Former senator and Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) senatorial candidate for Ogun Central, Iyabo Obasanjo, has dismissed concerns that the omission of governorship candidate Ladi Adebutu from INEC’s published list could hurt the party’s chances in the 2027 elections.
Obasanjo expressed confidence that Adebutu’s name would eventually be restored, insisting that the development would not discourage PDP supporters or weaken the party’s determination to perform strongly in Ogun State. Speaking with journalists on Thursday, she rejected suggestions that the controversy would derail the opposition party’s electoral ambitions.
“No. Our people are firm in what they want to do. I believe Ladi’s name will be back,” she said, maintaining that PDP members remained committed to their political objectives despite the uncertainty surrounding the governorship candidate’s listing.
However, the former senator, who represented Ogun Central in the National Assembly from 2007 to 2011, raised concerns about the circumstances surrounding Adebutu’s omission. She argued that the issue went beyond the PDP’s political interests and raised serious questions about the fairness and credibility of Nigeria’s electoral process.
Obasanjo said she initially doubted reports that Adebutu’s name had been excluded because INEC had already published the names of other PDP candidates contesting legislative positions. However, she became concerned after making further inquiries and discovering that Adebutu had reportedly followed the same procedures as the other candidates whose names appeared on the list.
She questioned why the governorship candidate’s name was missing despite reportedly completing the same requirements as other PDP aspirants. The former senator also alleged that influential political interests were attempting to prevent competitive elections by finding ways to keep perceived strong opponents out of the race.
Obasanjo warned that allowing wealthy and powerful politicians to influence electoral institutions could undermine Nigeria’s democracy, arguing that candidates should be allowed to compete freely rather than being excluded through alleged political interference. “If this happens, then a democracy will crash because everybody that is a money bag will go to Abuja and give the neutral institution money to remove anybody they think can beat them,” she warned.
She urged Nigerians to look beyond Adebutu and the PDP, stressing that the controversy concerned the country’s democratic system and the independence of institutions responsible for conducting elections. “It is not even about Honourable Adebutu, it’s not about PDP, it’s about the democracy Nigeria runs,” Obasanjo said, reiterating her belief that Adebutu’s name would eventually be restored to INEC’s list.