— Alleges misuse of name, calls for INEC investigation
By Jimoh Babatunde
A chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Ogun State, Topa Olusegun Peter, has denied reports identifying him as a governorship aspirant for the 2027 election, alleging that his name was used without his consent.
Peter, the Baale of Olorunsogo, Ilara, in Imeko-Afon Local Government Area, made the clarification while addressing journalists in Abeokuta on Saturday.
He alleged that the All Progressives Congress (APC) chairman in the council, Ramoni Adebolu, and some other APC chieftains had approached him with a political offer before his name appeared in newspaper publications as a PDP governorship aspirant.
Peter said he neither purchased a governorship nomination form nor signed any document indicating his intention to contest the election. He also denied authorising anyone to act on his behalf in connection with the purported ambition.
According to him, the controversy began when Adebolu and other politicians met him in his hometown of Ilara and informed him that they had a political position to offer him under the PDP.
He said he rejected the proposal because he was not interested in the arrangement.
“We met in my hometown, Ilara, and they informed me that the position was under the PDP but did not explain its exact nature. But I told them there and then that I was not interested because such could only come from my party, the PDP,” he said.
Peter alleged that after his name appeared in newspaper publications, he contacted Adebolu for an explanation.
He claimed that the APC chairman urged him to remain calm and promised him financial benefits, a car and a major political appointment if Senator Solomon Adeola, popularly known as Yayi, emerged as the APC governorship candidate.
The PDP chieftain, however, insisted that he did not collect money from Adebolu or any of the other individuals he mentioned.
“For the avoidance of doubt, I did not collect any money from the individuals mentioned in this statement,” he said.
Peter also expressed concern over a purported petition reportedly submitted to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) by a lawyer, Anderson Asemota of Neplus Ultra Attorneys, allegedly asking the commission to publish his client’s name as a governorship aspirant within 48 hours.
He denied knowing the lawyer or authorising him to write to INEC on his behalf.
“I have never spoken with or met the lawyer, Anderson Asemota of Neplus Ultra Attorneys, alleged to have written the petition on my behalf,” he said.
Peter called on INEC to investigate the circumstances surrounding the reported correspondence and establish how his name was allegedly used without his knowledge.
He also urged the commission to disregard any document purportedly submitted by him or on his behalf until the matter was clarified.
“I therefore call for a thorough investigation into how my name came to be used in this manner and how documents were submitted in my name without my knowledge,” he said.
The PDP chieftain further appealed to security agencies and other relevant authorities to ensure the safety of himself and his family, saying the circumstances surrounding the controversy had caused him serious concern.
Although he did not disclose any specific threat against them, he urged the authorities to investigate the matter and bring anyone found culpable to justice.
Peter used the opportunity to reaffirm his loyalty to the PDP, saying he had been a member of the party since its formation in 1998 and had never defected to another political platform.
He also said Hon. Ladi Adebutu emerged as the PDP’s sole candidate in the Ogun State governorship primary held on May 24, 2026, an exercise he claimed to have supervised in his ward.
He said the development further underscored the need to clarify how he came to be identified as a governorship aspirant.
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