The Presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Bola Tinubu and his counterpart, the Labour Party (LP), Peter Obi has divided the celebrities over the 2023 elections.
Several music, movie and comedy stars are working to ensure that their preferred presidential candidates clinched the top position in the country. However, some of the top stars seem to be sitting on the fence.
Most celebrities who show interest in the forthcoming presidential election are either Bola Tinubu or Peter Obi.
Despite a warning issued on September 24 by the leadership of the Actors Guild of Nigeria (AGN) declaring that its members endorsing political candidates are not representing the interest of the organisation, many actors have continued to sell their candidates.
Some of the celebrities were conspicuously seen during recent rallies for Obi and Tinubu in Lagos State.
Nollywood actors, John Ikechukwu Okafor, popularly known as Mr. Ibu, Harry B Anyanwu and others had prior to primary elections, endorsed the former Lagos State governor.
A video on social media showed the duo openly drumming support for Tinubu, saying he has really impacted people and deserves to be president of the country.
The comic actor, Ibu was, however, slighted with Peter Obi during a rally in Jos, Plateau State a few months ago, also drumming support for the former Anambra Governor.
Several performing artists, including Zark Orji, Jide Kosoko, Gentle Jack, and about 21 other actors were listed in the 422-member Presidential Campaign Council of the ruling party.
Similarly, veteran Nollywood actors Kanayo O. Kanayo, Keneth Okonkwo amongst other top celebrities had declared their support for the Labour Party’s candidate Peter Obi.
Peter and Paul Okoye of the P-Square and other music stars have openly declared support for Obi as they continue to mobilize support for him.
Aside from the singer and DMW boss, David Adeleke, popularly called Davido who played a great role in the emergence of Ademola Adeleke as the Osun State Governor recently, some top celebrities, including Innocent Idibia, popularly known as 2face, Tiwa Savage, Ayodeji Balogu, known as Wizkid and others have remained silent.
Also, notable movie stars, including, Nkem Owoh, Yul and Peter Edochie, Ramsey Nouah, Mercy Johnson, Patience Ozokwor, popularly known as Mama G and several others seem to be working underground for their preferred candidates.
However, an Abuja-based music producer, John K. said Davido may be working for Atiku Abubakar, the presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Daily Post reports.
“Davido is a PDP supporter and we don’t expect him to be working for a candidate of another party. He is very close to Atiku and he can’t leave him for another candidate,” he said.
Mr John called on Nigerians to ensure that they vote intelligently in 2023, stressing that any mistake by the electorate may cost the nation another four years of stagnation.
“For me, I am Obidient but I pray we don’t vote for the wrong people this time because Nigeria can’t afford to make that mistake again. It is time to take back our country”, he said.
