Toyin Abraham APC controversy deepens as the actress rejects her reported inclusion in the Lagos campaign council and says she is staying out of politics
Nollywood actress Toyin Abraham on Thursday, 17 September 2026, rejected her reported inclusion in the Lagos State All Progressives Congress Campaign Council, saying she had chosen to stay out of politics after her name appeared under the party’s Entertainment and Creative Economy Directorate.
The clarification came shortly after the Lagos APC campaign structure was released ahead of its scheduled inauguration on Friday, 18 September, at the party’s secretariat on ACME Road, Ikeja.
Abraham addressed the development through an Instagram Story, making it clear that she did not regard herself as a member of the campaign council.
“I’m not a member of any campaign council. I have said it recently, I am staying out of politics. Please disregard the supposed inclusion of my name in any campaign committee,” she wrote.
The published campaign structure had listed Abraham alongside several prominent figures from Nigeria’s entertainment industry.
Among those named were veteran actor Jide Kosoko, actress Eniola Badmus, Bimbo Akintola and Fuji musicians Wasiu Alabi Pasuma, Abass Akande Obesere and Adewale Ayuba.
The Entertainment and Creative Economy Directorate lists Toke Benson-Awoyinka as director, with Kosoko as co-director and Badmus as deputy director.
Akeem Alimi, popularly known as Ajala Jalingo, was listed as secretary, while Dare Olateju was named assistant secretary.
Other entertainment personalities named in the structure include Adebayo Salami, popularly known as Oga Bello, Saheed Balogun, Bukky Wright, Fathia Balogun, Yinka Quadri and Tayo Sobola.
The list also includes musicians such as Sulaimon Alao Adekunle, known as Malaika, Akorede Babatunde Okunola, popularly known as Osupa, and Temitope Adekunle, known as Small Doctor.
Abraham’s rejection creates a clear distinction between the name contained in the published campaign structure and her own stated position.
As of the latest reports, there had been no public explanation from the Lagos APC campaign council or the Kadri Obafemi Hamzat Media Centre regarding why Abraham’s name appeared on the list despite her subsequent denial.
The actress’s position is also notable given her previous involvement in Nigerian political discourse.
During the 2023 presidential election, Abraham publicly supported Bola Tinubu, who contested on the APC platform.
Her political stance attracted considerable public reaction at the time, including criticism on social media.
Her latest statement, however, concerns her present position. Abraham has said she does not want to participate in a campaign committee and has asked the public to disregard the reported inclusion of her name.
The development comes as political activity gathers pace ahead of the 2027 general elections, with parties and campaign structures beginning to assemble teams across different sectors.
For the Lagos APC, the Entertainment and Creative Economy Directorate forms part of a broader campaign structure designed to coordinate activities ahead of the election.
The council is scheduled for formal inauguration on Friday, 18 September, although Abraham’s statement means her reported role in the structure remains disputed.
For now, the actress has publicly drawn a line between herself and the campaign council, saying she intends to remain outside partisan campaign activities.
