Court Fixes Nov. 19 For Iyabo Obasanjo, Sogbesan Suit For Ogun Central PDP Ticket

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ABEOKUTA — The Federal High Court, Abeokuta Judicial Division, has adjourned till November 19, 2026, for hearing the suit challenging the recognition and publication of Senator Iyabo Obasanjo as the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate for the Ogun Central Senatorial District in the 2027 general election.

The suit, marked FHC/AB/CS/117/2026, was filed on August 14, 2026, by Sogbesan Amoo, a PDP aspirant for the Ogun Central Senatorial District, against the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), the PDP and Senator Iyabo Obasanjo.

At the resumed proceedings on Tuesday, 3 November 2026, before Justice Okeke, the matter was slated for further mention. Plaintiff’s counsel, Adewale Mosadomi, who held the brief of Ejembi Eko SAN, informed the court that all parties had been served with the originating summons and that the 1st Defendant’s counter affidavit and written address were served on the plaintiff on 2 November 2026. He added that the plaintiff was within time to file a response.

Counsel for the 1st to 3rd Defendants informed the court of all their processes filed and served on all parties. M. Egah appeared for the 1st Defendant, while B.R. Gold SAN appeared with I.A. Amosa for the 2nd Defendant. Professor A. Amuda-Kannike SAN, with R.O. Bakare, appeared for the 3rd Defendant. The court subsequently adjourned the matter to 19 November 2026 for hearing.

The suit followed INEC’s publication on August 1, 2026, of Obasanjo’s name as the PDP’s candidate for the Ogun Central Senatorial District. Among the issues the plaintiff wants the court to determine is whether INEC could lawfully accept and publish Obasanjo’s name when, according to the plaintiff, her name was not contained in the PDP membership register submitted to the electoral commission as required under Section 77(4) of the Electoral Act 2026.

Amoo is also challenging the validity of Obasanjo’s candidacy under Section 65(2)(b) of the 1999 Constitution (as amended), contending that she was not a member of the PDP and did not participate in the party’s primary election. The plaintiff further wants the court to determine whether, pursuant to Section 29(1) of the Electoral Act 2026, INEC could recognise or publish the name of a candidate who, according to the suit, did not participate in or win the valid primary election conducted by the PDP for the senatorial district.

Amoo is consequently seeking declaratory reliefs, including a declaration that INEC could not lawfully accept or publish Obasanjo’s name as the PDP’s Ogun Central senatorial candidate because the relevant provisions of the 1999 Constitution (as amended) and the Electoral Act 2026 were not complied with.

At an earlier sitting on 29 September 2026, the plaintiff’s counsel informed the court that a bailiff had attempted to serve the processes on 28 September, but the third defendant, Senator Iyabo Obasanjo, was not available. The court had then adjourned the matter to 3 November 2026 for further mention.