2023: Atiku, Tinubu, Obi divide celebrities

As preparations towards 2023 elections continue to heat up the polity, Nigerian celebrities appear to be bracing up to play active roles in deciding who becomes the country’s next president among the trio of former vice-president and rresidential candidate of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP); Peter Obi of Labour Party (LP) and Senator Bola Tinubu who is the candidate of All Progressives Congress (APC).

While entertainers, including the Psquare brothers, Phyno, Flavour and a number of others from the South-South and South-Eastern part of the country are rallying support for Obi on social media platforms, same cannot be said of Davido, Banky W and others who are believed to be rooting for Atiku.

Investigation conducted by Sunday Plus revealed that top actors and actresses in the Yoruba sector and English movie industries are not buying the idea of Atiku or Obi but are said to be mobilizing support for Tinubu as it was also gathered that some of Tinubu’s foot soldiers are reaching out to them to win them to his side.

The decision by some of their colleagues rooting for Obi did not sit down well with them and they have vowed to play the game on the strength of their popularity and reach. While some of them who are for Obi have started making moves to show their counterparts that they are ready to give all it takes to ensure that their candidate emerges winner, some celebrities in the movie circle and music circle are opting for Tinubu.

With Psquare already planning Coalition for Peter Obi’s Peace Concert on August 8, it is believed that they will be leading many other entertainers from that region to the event as they all declare their support for Obi.

This move, it was learnt have pitched some of the artistes on the bill against their coleagues who are rooting for Tinubu. A source who didn’t want to mention his name told Sunday Plus that Nigerian celebrities are more concerned about 2023 elections this time and some of them will not back down on their resolve to follow their candidate.

According to the source, who himself is supporting Atiku to become the president, recent cyber attacks by some of his colleagues and hate speeches being uttered against those who are not supporting Obi or Tinubu will further deepen the bad blood among.

He added that it is already becoming a tribal war among them as it is believed that some of them from the South-West have made up their mind to vote for either of Atiku or Tinubu.

This is said to be a source of worry for some celebrities who are based in the South-West but are from the South-East and South-South.

Findings by Sunday Plus also showed that a cold war is currently brewing among celebrities and their fans on social media with fans warning their favourite celebrities to desist from aligning with old politicians, who according to them have held the country by the jugular and don’t seem to be letting go.

While some of the celebrities from the South-West are yet to declare the candidate of their choice publicly, it was gathered that silent moves being made by some of them showed that they are for Tinubu.

Speaking with Sunday Plus, popular comedian, Gbenga Adeyinka who is a fan of Tinubu, said there is no reason for anybody to be bitter against another as everyone “has the right to choose whoever they like as President and vote for the person. If you don’t like my candidate, it is your choice and I think you should respect mine as well. It is not a do or die affair. We all can’t see thing the same way”, he explained.

Speaking about the elections, filmmaker and actress, Omoni Oboli on her Instagram urged her colleagues to get their Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) first before talking about who to vote and not to vote for, adding that “2023 election is going to be like a mob action to vote in the right candidate that can change the country and put it on the path of prosperity.  We are coming out as a force; there will be no rigging as rigging happens when people don’t come out to vote.”

Worried about the recent killing of Christian worshippers in a church in Owo where over 40 people were killed by suspected terrorists, Chioma Akpotha warned those who have chosen not to vote against recruiting others into their group, saying “those who are ready to vote should get their PVC and get ready to vote. 2023 election is a make or [break] for Nigeria and it is possible for Nigerians to make the change they have always been clamouring for.