Why I Regret Supporting Tinubu in 2023 – Actress Bukky Raji
 |
| Bukky Raji |
Nollywood actress Bukky Raji, popularly known as Aminatu Papapa, has publicly expressed regret over supporting President Bola Tinubu during the 2023 general elections, saying her decision was motivated by business concerns and misplaced trust.
In a now-viral interview with Oyinmomo TV on YouTube, Raji issued an emotional apology to Nigerians—especially those facing hardship—pleading for forgiveness.
“What I regret most in life is believing in the promise to renew hope,” she said. “I use this opportunity to beg Nigerians—those who love me and even those who don’t.”
Raji admitted she had misjudged the situation. “I wasn’t informed properly. I saw the truth later. Please don’t be angry. May your source of livelihood never be cut off,” she added.
Reflecting further, she explained that her apology wasn’t prompted by social media backlash but by her own personal reflections.
According to her, the challenges her rice business faced after the Buhari administration shut Nigeria’s southern borders in 2019 pushed her to support Tinubu, hoping he would reopen them since he’s from the South.
“It’s not because people insulted me online, but because I sat down and thought, ‘Oh God, I’ve made a mistake,’” she said. “I joined his campaign hoping things would get better, especially for us in the South. But now everyone is suffering—those who supported him and those who didn’t.”
She explained how her once-thriving rice business, which started with 20 bags and grew to full trailer loads, has now been crippled.
“Didn’t I suffer too?” she asked. “I believed that if Tinubu became president, the situation would improve. But it’s clear now—we’re all affected.”
Raji also cited Tinubu’s track record as former Lagos State Governor and the promises made by some unnamed politicians during campaign meetings as reasons for her initial support.
“When you hear convincing manifestos during campaign meetings, wouldn’t you share that message as an ambassador? We believed they would deliver. But nothing has changed,” she lamented.
On the issue of financial gain, Raji insisted she received nothing for her campaign efforts, attributing this to internal conflicts among actors involved in the campaign.
“I can boldly say I didn’t collect a dime. Not that we weren’t offered money, but I said we should share it equally,” she said. “Some people disagreed. They claimed there were elders in the industry who deserved more.”
She blamed the resulting division and greed for the disunity that followed, saying, “At the end, we got nothing. I’m speaking for myself—others may have collected. Tinubu didn’t refuse to give us money, but internal issues ruined everything.”
She also recalled how, during a rough patch in her business, it was her husband’s unwavering support that helped her get back on her feet.
Raji’s political stance had previously led to a heated online exchange with fellow actress Adunni Ade after the 2023 presidential election. Adunni had slammed unnamed celebrities for backing candidates for as little as ₦90,000.
In response, Raji fired back in a video, insisting their support was rooted in loyalty, not money.
“Adunni Ade, or whatever they call you—are you okay?” Raji said. “You claimed people worked for 40 days and got peanuts. What’s your business with that? We did it from a place of loyalty.”
.jpeg)
.jpeg)
Leave Comments
Post a Comment