Ogun 2027: PDP Chieftain Disowns Governorship Bid, Demands Probe

A chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party in Ogun State, Topa Olusegun Peter, has denied purchasing a governorship nomination form for the 2027 election, alleging that his name was used without his authorisation in connection with the race.

Peter, the Baale of Olorunsogo, Ilara, in Imeko-Afon Local Government Area, made the declaration while addressing journalists in Abeokuta on Saturday, October 17.

He called for an investigation into how his name became associated with the governorship contest and denied authorising Anderson Asemota of Neplus Ultra Attorneys to act on his behalf in correspondence with the Independent National Electoral Commission.

The controversy follows an earlier report by The Guardian that the lawyer had written to INEC, demanding that the commission explain Peter’s omission from the final list of candidates for the February 6, 2027 governorship election.

According to the October 15 report, the lawyer claimed that Peter obtained the PDP expression-of-interest and nomination forms on May 12, 2026, and participated in the party’s governorship primary on May 27.

The legal team reportedly asked INEC to verify its records and publish Peter’s name as the party’s candidate if the commission established that he had been duly nominated and there was no lawful reason for his exclusion.

However, Peter subsequently denied knowing or authorising the lawyer to submit any petition on his behalf.

He called on INEC to investigate the circumstances surrounding the correspondence and disregard any document purportedly submitted in his name without his consent.

Peter also alleged that the APC chairman in Imeko-Afon Local Government Area, Ramoni Adebolu, and some other party chieftains had approached him with a political offer before his name appeared in newspaper reports identifying him as a PDP governorship aspirant.

According to Peter, the politicians met him in his hometown of Ilara and told him that a political position was available under the PDP without clearly explaining the nature of the offer.

He said he rejected the proposal because he believed any such arrangement should originate from his party.

Peter further alleged that when he later contacted Adebolu for clarification after seeing his name in newspaper publications, the APC chairman urged him to remain calm and promised him financial benefits, a car and a major political appointment after the emergence of the APC’s governorship candidate, Senator Solomon Olamilekan Adeola, popularly known as Yayi.

Peter denied receiving money from Adebolu or the other individuals he mentioned.

He also expressed concern about the safety of himself and his family, appealing to security agencies and other relevant authorities to investigate the matter and ensure their protection.

The PDP chieftain reaffirmed his loyalty to the party, saying he had been a member since its formation in 1998 and had never defected to another political platform.

He also maintained that Hon. Ladi Adebutu emerged as the PDP’s governorship candidate following the party’s primary election, which he said he supervised in his ward.

INEC’s published final list of governorship candidates is central to the dispute, as the commission’s records would help establish the status of the competing claims concerning Peter’s alleged nomination.

The allegations against Adebolu and other individuals have not been independently established in the reports reviewed. Their responses to Peter’s claims were also not available in the sources consulted.

The circumstances surrounding the reported legal correspondence, including who instructed the lawyer and what nomination documents were submitted, remain unresolved.