…Says Ex-Senator Was Not a Party to INEC-ZLP Suit, Not Named in Ruling
A chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Ogun State, Adeoye Adewale Adeniran, has accused the All Progressives Congress (APC) of misrepresenting the Supreme Court’s September 24, 2026 judgment on the Electoral Act 2026 to suggest that Senator Iyabo Obasanjo has been disqualified from the 2027 Ogun Central Senatorial election.
CDA News Nigeria reports that Adeniran, the PDP House of Assembly candidate for Abeokuta South Constituency 2, made the allegation in a statement on Friday.
CDA News Nigeria gathered that the legal timeline is central to the dispute. On May 5, 2026, the Federal High Court in Abuja dismissed the Zenith Labour Party’s (ZLP) challenge to Sections 77(5), 77(6), 77(7), and 84(2) of the Electoral Act 2026. On July 16, 2026, the Abuja Division of the Court of Appeal allowed the ZLP appeal in part and voided the disputed provisions concerning party membership registers and candidate nomination. INEC subsequently appealed to the Supreme Court in SC/CR/495/2026.
On September 24, 2026, the Supreme Court, sitting as a seven-member panel led by Justice Adamu Jauro, allowed INEC’s appeal, set aside the Court of Appeal judgment, and restored the disputed provisions. The court held that the provisions did not conflict with the Constitution and awarded N2 million in costs against ZLP.
CDA News Nigeria gathered that the restored provisions concern political-party membership registers and the process for nominating candidates, which has prompted questions about the eligibility of some politicians whose party membership or nomination history may be disputed. However, the judgment did not name Senator Obasanjo or issue any order disqualifying her, as she was not a party to the INEC-ZLP litigation.
Adeniran challenged those circulating the alleged disqualification to identify the specific portion of the judgment that mentions Obasanjo or contains an order barring her from contesting. He alleged that the development indicated the APC was becoming increasingly concerned about the PDP’s growing political profile ahead of the 2027 elections.
Senator Obasanjo’s media aide, Dr. Odun Agbalajobi, had earlier issued a similar statement, describing the disqualification claims as “factually unsupported, legally speculative and clearly designed to create confusion where none exists.”
CDA News Nigeria notes that whether the restored provisions could subsequently be used to challenge a particular candidate’s nomination is a separate legal question that would depend on that candidate’s specific facts, party records, nomination process, and the applicable electoral timetable. The Supreme Court judgment itself was not a direct determination of Obasanjo’s eligibility.
Source verification: Original reporting based on a statement by PDP House of Assembly candidate Adeoye Adewale Adeniran and the legal timeline of the INEC-ZLP litigation (SC/CR/495/2026). The allegation against the APC is attributed to the PDP chieftain.
Editorial Policy: CDA News Nigeria is committed to accurate and balanced reporting. Allegations and legal interpretations are attributed to their sources.
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