A chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Adeoye Adewale Adeniran, has accused the All Progressives Congress (APC) of spreading misinformation about Senator Iyabo Obasanjo's eligibility to contest the 2027 Ogun Central Senatorial election. Adeniran, the PDP House of Assembly candidate for Abeokuta South Constituency 2, described reports suggesting that the Supreme Court had disqualified Obasanjo from the election as "misleading, legally speculative and politically motivated". He urged members of the public to disregard such claims.
The Supreme Court had on September 24, 2026, delivered a judgment in a case involving the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and the Zenith Labour Party (ZLP) over provisions of the Electoral Act 2026. The apex court upheld the validity of the disputed provisions and set aside the earlier Court of Appeal judgment which had voided them. The provisions involved include Sections 77(5), 77(6), 77(7) and 84(2), dealing principally with party membership registers and methods of candidate nomination.
Adeniran maintained that the judgment did not name Senator Obasanjo or issue any order disqualifying her from the 2027 election. He argued that the Supreme Court case arose from a dispute between INEC and a political party and that Senator Obasanjo was not a party to the proceedings. Therefore, it was "mischievous and intellectually dishonest" to transform a judgment in a dispute between INEC and a political party into a purported judicial pronouncement against a particular candidate who was neither a party to the suit nor the subject of the judgment.
Adeniran challenged those circulating the alleged disqualification to identify the specific portion of the Supreme Court judgment that mentions Senator Obasanjo or contains an order barring her from contesting. He stated that what existed was a Supreme Court judgment on the constitutionality and operation of specified provisions of the Electoral Act 2026, which had nothing to do with Senator Obasanjo. The PDP candidate said the development indicated that the APC was becoming increasingly concerned about the growing political profile of the PDP ahead of the 2027 elections.
Adeniran alleged that the opposition party had resorted to propaganda after recognising that it could no longer rely solely on political arguments to contain the PDP's growing acceptance. He added that PDP candidates across the state, from the governorship level down to the State House of Assembly, were prepared to offer the people of Ogun State a credible alternative to what he described as years of hardship and suffering under the APC.
According to Adeniran, the PDP's candidates were not approaching the 2027 election merely with political slogans, but with carefully developed ideas, policies and programmes aimed at addressing the real challenges confronting residents. He said the party's candidates were ready to provide purposeful leadership that would harness the state's human and material resources, create opportunities for residents and restore confidence in government.
Adeniran insisted that Ogun deserved leadership with a clear vision and practical plans for development. The PDP chieftain's statement comes as the 2027 elections approach, with various political parties and candidates positioning themselves for the polls. The Supreme Court's judgment has been interpreted in different ways by various stakeholders, with some calling for clarity on the implications of the ruling for future elections.
Key points
- APC accused of spreading misinformation about Senator Iyabo Obasanjo's eligibility
- Supreme Court judgment did not disqualify Senator Obasanjo from 2027 election
- PDP candidates prepared to offer credible alternative to APC in 2027 elections
