The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has unsettled the Peoples Democratic Party by its decision to reject Oladipupo Adebutus candidacy and accept the nominated governorship candidate submitted by the Adebayo Dayo led executive of the party in Ogun State.
The Commission disclosed this in a letter addressed to the PDP National Chairman in Abuja. The letter was dated 25 October.
However, the PDP National Publicity Secretary, Kola Ologbondiyan described INEC decision as a huge compromise.
If INEC claimed that it collected any list outside what the national secretariat of PDP submitted to it, it is a huge compromise.
And we say so according to our statutes and all the laws governing elections in Nigeria. INEC cannot take a list from a state of the party. INEC takes list from the national headquarters of the party.
So if it claimed that it had gone to take any list from anywhere, it is unknown to us and it is unknown to the rule guiding elections in Nigeria.
They acknowledged all the names that we submitted to them. So, it is totally strange, unknown to the rules and unknown to the PDP that INEC is claiming that it has another list. We are not aware, Ologbondiyan said.
The PDP had submitted House of Representatives member Oladipupo Adebutu as the governorship candidate.
In the letter signed by INEC acting Secretary, Okechukwu Ndeche, INEC said its decision was informed by the orders by the Federal High Court in three cases.
These were FHC/L/CFS/636/2016 Engr. Adebayo Dayo