INEC receives petition to disqualify APC Gov candidate over alleged electoral act violation
A constitutional petition has been filed before the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) seeking the immediate disqualification of Senator Yayi as the All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship candidate for Ogun State over alleged violation of the Electoral Act 2026.
The petition, filed by a concerned citizen and registered voter in Abeokuta, alleges that Yayi and his sponsors trampled on electoral laws.
Senator Yayi himself, on September 28, 2026, published on his official Facebook page that he had received 119 vehicles, buses, ambulances, pickups and mini-buses from 22 donors for his governorship campaign.
According to the petition, many of the so-called donors are ghosts. They have no real names, no addresses, no identity. Yayi listed them as “Citiside Brother”, “Sanusi Friend”, “Olafem Citi Friend”, “Onaolapo Brother”, “OJ”, “Polanco”, “Efele Ijebu” and “Nafiu Abimbola & Friend”. The petitioner asked: Who are these people? Where do they live? Are they even Nigerians? Or are they fronts used to launder money into Ogun politics?
The petition claims this is an attempt to conceal the true source of campaign funds and evade the law.
One Man, 26 Buses Worth N728 Million Above Legal Limit
The petition singled out Mr. Akintunde Armstrong, the convener of Yayi Progressives Movement, who alone was credited with donating 26 buses.
Under Section 92(c) of the Electoral Act 2026, no individual or entity can donate more than N500 million to a candidate.
But at the modest Nigerian-used price of N28 million per Toyota HiAce bus, Armstrong’s 26 buses alone are worth N728 million — far above the N500 million limit. If they are new buses at N90 million each, that is N2.3 billion from one man.
Six other donors were credited with 7 to 10 buses each, including companies like Zacobass Oil & Gas and Stonebridge Engineering Services Ltd.
The petitioner also reminded INEC that in May 2026, this same Yayi Progressives Movement announced N1 billion cash and 27 branded buses for Yayi.
N3.7 Billion Buses — Yayi Has Already Surpassed N3bn Limit
The Electoral Act 2026 is very clear. Section 92 fixes the total amount a governorship candidate can spend at N3 billion for the entire election.
But Yayi’s 119 buses alone, at N28 million each, is N3.33 billion. At new price of N90 million each, it is N10.7 billion — more than three times the legal limit. And this is before fuel, branding, drivers, rallies, posters, and the alleged N1 billion cash are added.
The petitioner is asking INEC to act now, not after the damage is done:
- Compel Yayi and APC to produce full legal names, addresses, chassis numbers and invoices of all 22 donors and 119 vehicles.
- Summon Yayi and Armstrong to explain their billions.
- Determine the true market value of the vehicles and confirm the breach of the N3bn limit.
- Force Yayi and APC to file and publish interim campaign finance returns since campaign started on September 9, 2026.
- Disqualify Senator Adeola as APC governorship candidate if he knowingly violated Section 92, or go to Federal High Court to remove him.
As the petition stated: “This petition is not political. It concerns compliance with the law… A candidate who gains an advantage through a breach of the electoral finance rules should not benefit from it.”
