The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has dropped Oladipupo Adebutu off its list of candidates for the governorship race in Ogun State come 2023.
In the form seen by Peoples Gazette on Tuesday, the entry for the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate remained blank as there was no name of any candidate representing the opposition party.
INEC’s decision to drop the candidate comes after the PDP primary election held in May was declared invalid by Justice Oluremi Oguntoyinbo of the Federal High Court in Abeokuta.
Mr. Adebutu had to re-contest for the ticket after the decision invalidated his candidacy. Delivered on September 30, the decision ordered the PDP to hold a new primary election within 14 days and prohibited INEC from recognizing Mr. Adebutu as its candidate.
Disgruntled party members Jim Lawal, Taiwo Olabode, and Kehinde Akala filed the lawsuit stating that the party had employed the military to intimidate party members and imposed a phony delegate list at the site of the primary poll.
“They brought in soldiers to militarise the venue and used a fake list of delegates to achieve their aim. We had to go to court to upturn the malpractice,” Mr Lawal said.
Meanwhile, dates for the rerun of the primary election is yet to be announced by the PDP.
