A chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party and the leader of Olorunsogo community, Ilara, in Imeko-Afon Local Government Area of Ogun State, Peter Topa, has denied reports listing him as a governorship aspirant under the Peoples Democratic Party, alleging that his name was used without his knowledge or consent.
Recall that a lawyer, Anderson Asemota of Neplus Ultra Attorneys, reportedly gave the Independent National Electoral Commission 48 hours to explain the omission of Topa, whom he described as his client, from the final list of candidates for the February 6, 2027 election.
Asemota also demanded the publication of Peter’s name as the party’s duly nominated candidate, threatening legal action if the commission failed to address the matter.
The demand, contained in a letter dated October 14, 2026, and addressed to the INEC chairman, followed the commission’s publication of the final list of governorship candidates on October 10, which excluded Oladipupo Adebutu, the Ogun State PDP governorship candidate.
The names of Adebutu and former Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Ali Pantami, were missing from INEC’s final list for the 2027 elections.
Topa, however, in a statement made available to our correspondent on Saturday, said that he was shocked to see newspaper publications identifying him as a governorship aspirant, despite having no intention of contesting the election.
He alleged that the development followed a meeting with the All Progressives Congress chairman in Imeko-Afon Local Government Area, Ramoni Adebolu, and some other APC chieftains, who approached him with an unspecified political offer.
According to him, the meeting was held in his hometown, Ilara, where the politicians informed him that the position they intended to offer him was under the PDP but failed to disclose its exact nature.
“I was shocked and deeply surprised to discover that my name had appeared in newspaper publications as a governorship aspirant under the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), an aspiration I know absolutely nothing about.
“The events leading to this development began when the APC chairman in Imeko-Afon Local Government, Mr Ramoni Adebolu, alongside some other APC chieftains, contacted me to say they had a position they wanted to offer me.
“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 a position could only come from my party, the PDP.
“To my greatest surprise, the next thing I saw was a newspaper publication listing me as a governorship aspirant under the PDP.
“Upon discovering the publications mentioning my name, I immediately contacted Mr Ramoni Adebolu, and he told me to be calm. He promised financial benefits and a car.
“He also said that I would be offered a major political position after the emergence of the APC governorship candidate, Solomon Adeola (Yayi).
“Seeing what they had done with my name, I reached out to my PDP leaders to explain the situation and make it clear that I had no knowledge of, or involvement in, the purported governorship aspiration.
“For the avoidance of doubt, I did not collect any money from the individuals mentioned in this statement. I am also deeply concerned by reports that a petition has been written in my name without my knowledge or authorisation,” he said.
Topa denied ever meeting Asemota and called for a probe into how his name came to be used and how the documents were submitted in his name without his knowledge.
When contacted, Adebolu denied knowing anything about the publication which presented Topa as the PDP governorship candidate for Ogun State.
He said, “As the chairman of APC in Imeko Afon Local Government, I actually held a meeting with Mr Peter and others with a view to convincing them to join the ruling party.
“I have known Mr Peter since our days in the PDP during the government of former Governor Gbenga Daniel, so I reached out to him and others to join our party, that we shall duly accommodate them and ensure that they are also recognised in the scheme of things in the party.
“This I did to further strengthen my party in the local government, but there was never a time I discussed anything else with Mr Peter aside from asking him to dump his party and join our party.
“I don’t know anything about the newspaper report. I know nothing about the publication, and I don’t have any other discussion with him other than asking him to join the APC.”