Toyin Abraham denies Lagos APC campaign council inclusion after her name appeared on the party’s newly released Entertainment and Creative Economy Directorate list ahead of its scheduled inauguration in Lagos on Friday, September 18, 2026. The Nollywood actress has publicly distanced herself from the campaign structure, saying she is staying out of politics and asking the public to disregard her reported inclusion.
Toyin Abraham rejects Lagos APC campaign council listing
The controversy began after the Lagos State chapter of the All Progressives Congress released details of its campaign council on Thursday, September 17.
The published structure included 33 names under the Entertainment and Creative Economy Directorate, with Toyin Abraham-Ajeyemi listed among prominent actors, actresses and musicians. Her name appeared alongside veteran actor Jide Kosoko, Eniola Badmus, Bimbo Akintola, Wasiu Alabi Pasuma, Abass Akande Obesere and Adewale Ayuba.
However, Abraham quickly clarified that the listing did not represent her position.
In a statement shared on her Instagram Story on Thursday, the actress said she was not a member of any campaign council and that she had already made her decision to stay away from politics.
She also urged the public to disregard the inclusion of her name in any campaign committee. Her statement was reported by several Nigerian news organisations, including Vanguard, TVC News and QED.
The clarification means there is a clear difference between the name contained in the published campaign document and Abraham’s own publicly stated position.
What the Lagos APC campaign council list contained
The Lagos APC campaign council was unveiled on Thursday through the Kadri Obafemi Hamzat Media Centre as part of preparations for the 2027 general elections.
Within the Entertainment and Creative Economy Directorate, Toke Benson-Awoyinka was listed as director, while Jide Kosoko was named co-director and Eniola Badmus deputy director. Akeem Alimi, popularly known as Ajala Jalingo, was listed as secretary, while Dare Olateju was named assistant secretary.
The directorate also includes several well-known figures from the Nigerian entertainment industry.
Among those listed are Adebayo Salami, popularly known as Oga Bello, Saheed Balogun, Bukky Wright, Fathia Balogun, Yinka Quadri, Tayo Sobola, Abiola Adebayo and Foluke Daramola.
The Fuji music industry is also represented, with names including Pasuma, Obesere, Adewale Ayuba, Sulaimon Alao Adekunle, popularly known as Malaika, Akorede Babatunde Okunola, known as Osupa, and Temitope Adekunle, popularly known as Small Doctor.
Abraham was listed as one of the members of the 33-person directorate, but her subsequent statement makes clear that she does not accept the reported inclusion.
Lagos APC prepares for 2027 elections
The entertainment directorate is only one part of the broader Lagos APC campaign structure.
Reports on the full structure show that Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu is listed as chairman of the campaign council, with Deputy Governor Kadri Obafemi Hamzat serving as deputy chairman.
The wider structure also includes senior political figures in advisory and campaign roles. The campaign council was scheduled for formal inauguration on Friday, September 18, at the APC Secretariat on ACME Road, Ikeja.
The inclusion of prominent entertainment personalities reflects the role the party has assigned to its Entertainment and Creative Economy Directorate within the campaign structure. However, Abraham’s response shows that being named on the published list does not necessarily mean that every person listed has personally confirmed participation.
Toyin Abraham says she is staying out of politics
Abraham’s response is the central development in the story because it directly addresses her reported political involvement.
Rather than accepting the appointment or explaining a political affiliation, the actress said she was staying out of politics and asked members of the public to disregard her reported inclusion.
Several reports published after the list emerged carried the same clarification, confirming that her position was not based on an unnamed source or social-media speculation but on a statement attributed directly to the actress.
For now, the available reports establish two separate facts: Abraham’s name appeared in the Lagos APC campaign council document released on September 17, while Abraham herself publicly denied being a member of the council.
That distinction is important as the party moves toward the September 18 inauguration of its campaign structure and continues preparations for the 2027 elections.
The development also puts the spotlight on how celebrity names are presented in political campaign structures, particularly when individuals publicly dispute their inclusion. In Abraham’s case, her message was direct: she said she was not part of any campaign council and wanted the reported inclusion of her name disregarded.
