Ogun 2027: LP, AA Candidates Threaten Suit Over Alleged PDP Register Tampering

The National Vice Chairman of the Labour Party (LP) in the South-West, Dr Arabambi Abayomi, and the Action Alliance (AA) governorship candidate in Ogun State, Prof Awofala Awoniyi Awolola, have threatened legal action over any alleged unlawful alteration of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) membership register submitted to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

The two politicians said they had formally petitioned INEC to preserve the original register and investigate information alleging that an affidavit had been sworn to explain the omission of Oladipupo Adebutu’s name from the document.

The, politicians warned that they would challenge any purported retrospective alteration of the register or administrative action based on an allegedly unlawful substitution of the original document.

They acknowledged that they were not in possession of the alleged affidavit and called on INEC to establish whether it existed and whether it had been submitted to the commission.

While briefing the media, Thursday, they said they had received information suggesting that INEC might publish Adebutu’s name on Thursday, October 29, on the strength of an affidavit, though, they did not provide documentary evidence .

According to them, the PDP conducted its Ogun State governorship primary in Abeokuta on May 24, 2026, and the membership register submitted to INEC ahead of the exercise did not contain Adebutu’s name.

They claimed a Certified True Copy of the register issued by INEC on July 20, 2026, reflected the omission.

The politicians alleged that a PDP executive member had sworn to an affidavit explaining the omission as an error by the party.

They attributed the information to a disclosure reportedly made by a member of the PDP’s Ogun State Executive Committee, during a WhatsApp discussion.

The duo said they had not independently verified the existence or contents of the affidavit.

Citing Section 77 of the Electoral Act 2026, they argued that the statutory requirements governing party membership registers should guide INEC’s handling of the matter.

They maintained that an affidavit explaining an omission should not, on its own, be treated as authority to amend a register retrospectively.

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They also referred to a Supreme Court judgment delivered on September 24, 2026, in INEC v. Zenith Labour Party, Appeal No. SC/CV/495/2026, which they said was relevant to the statutory requirements governing membership registers.

The politicians asked INEC to establish whether the alleged affidavit had been submitted, when it was received, the official who received it and the purpose for which it was presented.

They further called for an investigation into any credible evidence of improper interference with the commission’s records.

They said they had requested a response from INEC within 24 hours of its receipt of their letter, including details of measures taken to preserve the register and investigate the issues raised.

The duo said they reserved the right to pursue judicial and other lawful remedies if evidence established that the register had been unlawfully altered or handled contrary to applicable law.