The mood at the campaign office of Senator Solomon Olamilekan Adeola, popularly known as Yayi, was unusually quiet as of 6:32 p.m. on Friday, following a Federal High Court judgment ordering the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to restore Hon. Oladipupo Ladi Adebutu as the PDP governorship candidate for the 2027 Ogun election.
The office, normally a hub of political activity, had no visible crowd of supporters and showed no significant mobilisation after the ruling.
The court, presided over by Justice Peter Lifu, held that INEC acted unlawfully by removing Adebutu’s name without a court order. It ordered the commission to restore and publish his name within 24 hours.
The judgment has changed the political picture in Ogun almost overnight. Many had assumed that Adebutu’s exclusion would weaken the PDP’s chances in the governorship race. That assumption has now suffered a major setback.
The quiet around Yayi’s camp has raised questions about the mood within his political family. Whether it is a moment of disappointment that will pass or a sign of a deeper shift in the camp’s plans is not yet clear. What is clear is that the calculations built around an Adebutu-free contest must now be redone.
With the election billed for February 6, 2027, the battle for Oke Mosan is gathering pace. Adebutu is firmly back in the contest, and Yayi’s camp must now deal with that reality.
