By Annette Ikponmwonba | September 17, 2026
Key Points
· Veteran actor Jide Kosoko, Fuji stars Pasuma, Obesere and Ayuba, and Nollywood actresses Toyin Abraham, Eniola Badmus and Bimbo Akintola feature in the Lagos APC Campaign Council’s Entertainment and Creative Economy Directorate
· The full list was released by the Kadri Obafemi Hamzat Media Centre on Thursday
· Toke Benson-Awoyinka will serve as Director, Kosoko as Co-Director, and Eniola Badmus as Deputy Director of the entertainment directorate
· The council is chaired by Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, with Kadri Obafemi Hamzat as Deputy Chairman and former governors Fashola and Ambode as Co-Chairmen
· The campaign council is scheduled to be inaugurated on Friday, September 18, at the APC Secretariat in Ikeja
Main Story
Veteran actor Jide Kosoko, Fuji musicians Wasiu Alabi Pasuma, Abass Akande Obesere and Adewale Ayuba, as well as Nollywood stars Toyin Abraham, Eniola Badmus and Bimbo Akintola, are among those listed in the Lagos APC Campaign Council’s Entertainment and Creative Economy Directorate. The full list was released by the Kadri Obafemi Hamzat Media Centre on Thursday, ahead of the council’s inauguration.
According to the list, Toke Benson-Awoyinka will serve as Director of the Entertainment and Creative Economy Directorate, with Kosoko as Co-Director and Eniola Badmus as Deputy Director. Akeem Alimi, popularly known as Ajala Jalingo, is listed as Secretary, while Dare Olateju will serve as Assistant Secretary.
The directorate draws heavily from both the Yoruba movie industry and the Fuji music scene. Other members from the film industry include veteran actor Oga Bello, also known as Adebayo Salami, alongside Saheed Balogun, Bukky Wright, Fathia Balogun, Yinka Quadri and Tayo Sobola. The Fuji music industry is represented by Pasuma, Obesere and Ayuba, alongside Sulaimon Alao Adekunle known as Malaika, Akorede Babatunde Okunola known as Osupa, and Temitope Adekunle known as Small Doctor.
The Issues
The inclusion of high profile entertainers in a formal campaign structure reflects a broader pattern in Nigerian politics of leveraging celebrity influence to mobilize public support ahead of major elections. Entertainment figures often carry significant reach across demographics that traditional political structures may struggle to engage directly, making directorates like this one a strategic tool for voter outreach as the 2027 election cycle approaches.
The Entertainment and Creative Economy Directorate is just one of several structures under the broader campaign council, which is headed by Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu as Chairman, with Kadri Obafemi Hamzat as Deputy Chairman and former governors Babatunde Fashola and Akinwumi Ambode serving as Co-Chairmen. This layering of directorates suggests a deliberate effort to build a wide coalition spanning sector specific interests, from entertainment to potentially business, youth and other constituencies.
What’s Being Said
The council’s structure and full membership list were made public through the Kadri Obafemi Hamzat Media Centre, laying out in detail the various leadership roles within the Entertainment and Creative Economy Directorate specifically. Beyond confirming the names and positions, no additional commentary from party officials or the listed celebrities themselves was included in the disclosure.
What’s Next
The Lagos APC Campaign Council is scheduled to be formally inaugurated on Friday, September 18, at the APC Secretariat on ACME Road, Ikeja. This inauguration will mark the official start of the council’s campaign activities ahead of the 2027 elections, and attention will likely turn to how actively the entertainment figures named to the directorate participate in subsequent campaign events and mobilization efforts.
Bottom Line
The Lagos APC’s decision to formally structure a dedicated Entertainment and Creative Economy Directorate, stacked with recognizable names from Nollywood and the Fuji music scene, signals a calculated strategy to convert celebrity influence into organized political mobilization ahead of the 2027 election.
