Actress Toyin Abraham has declined to join the Lagos State All Progressives Congress Campaign Council, stating that she is “staying out of politics” and requesting that people ignore her purported council membership.
In front of the 2027 elections, the Lagos APC announced on Thursday that Abraham is a member of the campaign council’s Entertainment and Creative Economy Directorate. She was listed among Fuji musicians Wasiu Alabi Pasuma, Obesere, and Adewale Ayuba, as well as actors Jide Kosoko, Eniola Badmus, Bimbo Akintola, Adebayo Salami, Saheed Balogun, and Bukky Wright.
But Abraham responded to the list in an Instagram Story on Thursday, stating that she had lately clarified her stance and had not joined any campaign councils.
“I don’t belong to any campaign council. It’s what I recently said. I’m not getting involved in politics. She added, “Please disregard the alleged inclusion of my name in any campaign committee.”
Three years ago, Abraham publicly backed President Bola Tinubu during the 2023 presidential race, which led to persistent criticism and personal attacks on her on social media.
The actress discussed the criticism on Twitter in March 2023, claiming that certain Peter Obi fans had petitioned Netflix to take her movies off the service and had also targeted companies that were connected to her. She detailed receiving everyday insults and curses aimed at her, her husband, Kolawole Ajeyemi, and their son. She also provided images of messages pleading with Checkers Custard to remove her as an ambassador.
After the election, the subject reappeared several times, and Abraham’s political decision continued to draw criticism. In July 2024, it was reported that social media users persisted in criticising the actress, and the situation worsened when she took action against people she said had made disparaging remarks about her and her family.
In one instance, Big Ayo, an X user, claimed in a post that Abraham had paid for her husband’s hair transplant with funds purportedly connected to Tinubu. Abraham reported the incident to the cybercrime authorities and refuted the accusation.
She then explained that she had filed a petition against what she described as cyberbullying and libellous content rather than being the reason behind the man’s mother’s detention, as had been claimed online.
Following an internet campaign and petitions for his freedom, Big Ayo was later freed from police custody.
Another round of criticism of Abraham was sparked by the arrest and its aftermath. While some social media users posted messages asking Netflix to take down her films, others threatened to report her films to streaming services.
In July 2024, Abraham made an emotional Instagram Live appearance during the dispute, describing the persistent internet assaults and claiming she had reached her breaking point.
During the broadcast, she declared, “I want to die,” adding that she had been the target of persistent abuse and defamation and that her child had been cursed. She claimed to have just used her rights as a citizen by submitting a petition to the cybercrime agency.
In a different remark made at the same time, Abraham stated that while she could put up with insults aimed at her, she would not put up with attacks on her kids.
Therefore, the actress’s most recent decision to disassociate herself from political campaigns comes after a history of controversy regarding her political activity, especially following her 2023 support for Tinubu.
Toke Benson-Awoyinka is listed by the Lagos APC campaign council as the Director of the Entertainment and Creative Economy Directorate, with Kosoko serving as Co-Director and Badmus as Deputy Director. Despite her vocal denial of the reported appointment, Abraham is still named in the published council document as a member of the 33-person directorate.
