The Ogun State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has rejected allegations questioning the eligibility of its 2027 governorship candidate, Oladipupo Adebutu, describing them as politically motivated attempts to undermine his candidacy.
The claims, raised by the Ogun Democratic Accountability Forum (ODAF), alleged that Adebutu’s name was missing from the PDP’s membership register.
Responding in a statement on Tuesday, PDP State Publicity Secretary Kayode Adebayo insisted that Adebutu remained “a fully registered, financially compliant and undisputed leader of the party in Ogun State.”
He added that the party had met all statutory requirements regarding membership registration and submission to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
The PDP accused the All Progressives Congress (APC) and its proxies of sponsoring the controversy to distract voters.
It argued that the smear campaign was designed to divert attention from questions surrounding the indigeneship of APC candidate Solomon Adeola, popularly known as Yayi, who shifted his political base from Lagos to Ogun after years in the National Assembly.
The opposition party further alleged that federal constituency projects meant for other states had been diverted to Ogun to create a false impression of development.
On legal arguments raised by ODAF, the PDP maintained that eligibility issues are governed by the Constitution and Electoral Act, not by statements from political groups.
The party urged INEC to disregard “pressure from political proxies” and assured supporters that Adebutu’s nomination remains valid.