Bukola Adekobe, the Nollywood actress better known as Aminatu Papapa, saya she regrets supporting President Bola Tinubu during the 2023 presidential elections.
In a recent interview on Oyinmomo TV, the film star revealed that she initially campaigned for Tinubu due to her admiration for his performance as Lagos state governor.
Aminatu said she had thought that if he could succeed at the state level, he would replicate that success as Nigeria’s leader.
The actress also described voting for Tinubu as “one of my biggest regrets in life”. She also apologised to Nigerians for her role in promoting his candidacy.
If they asked me what was the only thing I have ever done in my life that I have regretted, it was during that election time. May our means of survival never fall into hardship. When our current president was the governor of Lagos state, I was already of voting age, she said.
My dad used to force all of us then to go get our voter’s cards and vote. During Tinubu’s regime that time, he did well. My dad was not a politician but he was good at reading people. Even my dad used to say he did well despite what he went through during Obasanjo’s regime.
That was what prompted me to support him this time around. Whenever we had meetings with him, he also promised to do well. Later, it was after the elections I had a rethink. What I regret is that we were told that they wanted to renew the hope.
I am taking this opportunity to plead with all Nigerians, including those who love me and those who do not like me. No one is old enough to escape experience, I am sorry. Even if you have known someone for a long time, you need to check them carefully before believing their words.”
Aminatu emphasised that her regret was not due to social media backlash but a personal realisation of her misjudgment.
That was where I made a mistake. It was not because people came at me on social media, it is about my personal reflection, I know where I went wrong. That I campaigned for Tinubu really hurts me because the poor are really suffering, she added.
Aminatu is not the only entertainer who has voiced disappointment over supporting Tinubu.
Actor Alapini recently admitted regretting his campaign efforts, citing a lack of compensation or recognition for himself and other celebrities who backed the president.
In 2023, actress Ronke Oshodi Oke disclosed that she regretted supporting the All Progressives Congress (APC) after witnessing the government’s handling of the EndSARS protests.
