Veteran Nollywood actor Ganiu Nafiu, popularly known as Alapini, has expressed deep regret for supporting President Bola Tinubu during the 2023 presidential election, revealing that he and other Yoruba actors who publicly campaigned for the APC candidate have since been abandoned
Speaking during an interview on Behind the Fame – African A-List TV, Alapini aired his frustrations over the neglect faced by veteran actors who rallied behind Tinubu under the “Renewed Hope” movement. The actor, speaking in Yoruba, lamented that what seemed like a hopeful mission has now turned into disappointment.
“We were campaigning with joy, thinking our messiah had arrived because Tinubu is someone we have loved for many years. He has helped actors before,” Alapini said. “That was why we came out to support him. We spent two months campaigning for him.”
However, Alapini said their loyalty yielded no appreciation, either from the president himself or his son, Seyi Tinubu. “Would Seyi say he didn’t see us — the elderly actors — during the campaign? Was he blind to our efforts?” he asked bitterly.
He revealed that over a hundred actors, both young and old, campaigned in markets and difficult areas, risking public ridicule and receiving insults online. “People were cursing us in the comments. I was entering markets like a mad man, all because of Tinubu. In the end, they gave us nothing,” he said.
He also cited the case of his colleague Olaiya Igwe, who stripped naked at a beach to pray for Tinubu’s victory. “The curses placed on him haven’t left him,” Alapini said, while debunking claims that Olaiya was given a car as a reward. “Who gave him? It wasn’t them.”
Asked whether he would consider supporting Tinubu for a second term in 2027, Alapini responded with visible disillusionment. “I haven’t thought about it yet. Maybe the only support we’ll give this time is to rain curses on anyone who votes for him,” he said.
He also criticized Seyi Tinubu for focusing his charitable work in Northern Nigeria while ignoring the Southwest. “Seyi is running around the North paying hospital bills. Are there no sick people in Yorubaland too? How many hospitals has he visited here?” he questioned.
Alapini’s remarks reflect growing dissatisfaction among some Yoruba entertainers who feel overlooked despite their visible support during the campaign.
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