Nollywood actress Toyin Abraham has distanced herself from the Lagos State All Progressives Congress Campaign Council after her name was included among members of its Entertainment and Creative Economy Directorate ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Abraham, in a statement on Instagram on Thursday, said she was not a member of any campaign council and asked the public to disregard her reported inclusion.
The actress was listed in a campaign council document released by the Lagos APC on Thursday, September 17, alongside several prominent figures in Nigeria’s entertainment industry. The list placed her among members of the Entertainment and Creative Economy Directorate, which is headed by Toke Benson-Awoyinka as Director, with veteran actor Jide Kosoko serving as Co-Director and Eniola Badmus as Deputy Director.
Other entertainers named in the directorate include Bimbo Akintola, Adebayo Salami, Saheed Balogun, Bukky Wright, Fathia Balogun and Yinka Quadri. Several Fuji musicians, including Wasiu Alabi Pasuma, Obesere and Adewale Ayuba, were also listed.
However, Abraham said she had not accepted any role in the campaign structure.
“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 said in an Instagram Story.
The actress addressed the matter again on Friday after an X user suggested that rejecting the reported appointment could protect her from renewed online attacks.
Abraham clarified that her decision was not influenced by social media critics. She explained that she had woken up to discover that her name had been included on a list about which she said she knew nothing.
According to her, she had already made her position clear that she was not interested in politics.
“Bro, I didn’t do it because of any bully. I did it because it was the right thing to do. I woke up and saw my name on a list I knew absolutely nothing about,” she said.
She added that her decision was based on her personal position rather than pressure from individuals who had criticised her previously.
The development has attracted attention partly because Abraham was publicly associated with President Bola Tinubu during the 2023 presidential election. Her political support at the time generated significant reactions on social media, including criticism from some supporters of Peter Obi, according to reports.
In 2023, Abraham spoke publicly about the backlash she received following her political position. She alleged that some individuals had petitioned Netflix over her films and targeted brands associated with her. She also said she and members of her family had been subjected to insults and online attacks.
The actress subsequently became involved in disputes over alleged cyberbullying and defamatory claims, which she said prompted her to seek legal protection.
Her latest statement represents a clear distinction between her previous public political involvement and her current position. While she supported Tinubu during the 2023 presidential contest, she now says she does not want to participate in political campaigns or campaign councils.
Despite her rejection, Abraham’s name remained on the 33-member Entertainment and Creative Economy Directorate contained in the Lagos APC’s published campaign council document as of Friday.
The discrepancy between the published list and Abraham’s public statement has therefore become a notable feature of the development.
The Lagos APC has not, in the reports available, publicly explained why Abraham’s name was included despite her assertion that she did not agree to join the council.
For now, Abraham’s position is that she is staying out of politics, while the campaign council document released by the Lagos APC continues to list her among members of its entertainment and creative economy team.
