Topa Peter, a chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and leader of the Olorunsogo community in Ilara, Imeko-Afon Local Government Area of Ogun State, has dismissed reports describing him as a governorship aspirant, claiming that his name was used without his knowledge or approval.
The development followed reports that a lawyer, Anderson Asemota of Neplus Ultra Attorneys, had given the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) 48 hours to explain why Peter’s name was excluded from the final list of candidates for the February 6, 2027 governorship election.
Asemota reportedly described Peter as his client and demanded that INEC publish his name as the PDP’s duly nominated candidate, threatening legal action if the commission failed to comply.
The demand was contained in a letter dated October 14, 2026, addressed to the INEC chairman, following the commission’s release of the final list of governorship candidates on October 10. The list reportedly excluded the PDP’s candidate in Ogun State, Oladipupo Adebutu.
However, Peter, in a statement made available to our correspondent on Saturday, said he was surprised to see newspaper reports identifying him as a governorship aspirant, insisting that he had no intention of contesting the election.
He alleged that the situation began after a meeting with the All Progressives Congress (APC) chairman in Imeko-Afon Local Government Area, Ramoni Adebolu, and other party leaders, who approached him with an unspecified political offer.
According to Peter, the meeting took place in his hometown of Ilara, where the politicians told him the position they intended to offer was under the PDP but did not explain what the position entailed.
He said, “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 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.”
Peter added that he immediately contacted PDP leaders to clarify the situation, stressing that he neither knew about nor participated in the purported governorship ambition.
He further stated, “I wish to emphasise here, again, that I never purchased a governorship nomination form, signed any document expressing an intention to contest the governorship election, or authorised anyone to act on my behalf in this regard.
“I have been a loyal member of the PDP since 1998, the year the party was formed, and I have never defected to another political party. My commitment to the party has remained consistent throughout the years.
“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.
“I have never spoken with or met the lawyer, Anderson Asemota of Neplus Ultra Attorneys, alleged to have written the petition on my behalf. 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.
“I am appealing to Nigerians, relevant authorities, security agencies, and all well-meaning individuals to come to my aid and help ensure the safety of my life and every member of my family.”
When contacted for a reaction, the APC publicity secretary in Ogun State, Femi Nuberu, said he could only speak on behalf of the party and not individual members.
Nuberu stated, “My office speaks for the party and on the decision of the party. Allegations against members of the party should be directed to the individuals concerned.
“The named person in the conference should be reached for a response. As a party, we are preoccupied with the mobilisation for ITESIWAJU mantras.”
Meanwhile, Adebolu denied any knowledge of the newspaper publication that identified Peter as the PDP governorship candidate in Ogun State.
Speaking during a telephone interview with our correspondent on Sunday, the APC chairman said his meeting with Peter and others was aimed at persuading them to defect to the ruling party.
He explained, “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 PDP during the government of former Gov Gbenga Daniel, so I reached out to him and others to join our party, so 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 asking him to dump his party and join our party.
“I don’t know anything about his appearance in the newspaper; I know nothing about the publication, and I don’t have any other discussion with him other than asking him to join the APC.”
