By Ikechukwu Nnochiri
ABUJA — Ahead of the Ogun State governorship election billed for February 6, 2027, the National Vice Chairman of the Labour Party (LP) in the South-West, Dr. Arabambi Abayomi, and the candidate of the Action Alliance (AA) in the state, Prof. Awofala Awoniyi Awolola, on Wednesday threatened legal action over an alleged attempt to alter the membership register of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
The duo, in a joint press briefing in Abuja, called on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to investigate an alleged plot to retrospectively include names in the register earlier submitted by the PDP.
They said they had formally petitioned the electoral body to preserve the original register and investigate information alleging that an affidavit had been sworn to explain the omission of the name Oladipupo Adebutu from the document.
The petitioners expressed concern that the alleged move could lead to the republication or announcement of Adebutu’s name as the PDP governorship candidate.
According to the joint press statement read to journalists, the PDP conducted its governorship primary in Abeokuta on May 24, 2026, ahead of the impending general elections.
They argued that Section 77 of the Electoral Act 2026 required political parties to submit their membership registers to INEC at least 21 days before conducting primaries.
The petitioners further maintained that only persons whose names appeared on the duly submitted register could participate in the primary as voters or aspirants, subject to the applicable law.
They claimed that Adebutu’s name was absent from the register submitted by the PDP, that a Certified True Copy of the document was issued by INEC on July 20, 2026, and that an attempt was being made to regularise the omission through an affidavit.
The politicians, however, acknowledged that they were not in possession of the affidavit and called on INEC to verify the information.
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.
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.
Consequently, the petitioners urged 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 petitioners 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.
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