Actress Bimbo Akintola has revealed that her decision to publicly back President Bola Ahmed Tinubu during the 2023 general election was partly driven by her frustration with online harassment targeting people with differing political views.
Speaking with Chude Jideonwo, Akintola said she was particularly upset after witnessing Nigerians attack others, including veteran actress Joke Silva, for simply expressing their preferred candidates. The actress explained that the level of hostility compelled her to reaffirm her own political choice openly.
She emphasized the importance of respecting differing opinions, noting that disagreement is natural and enriches the nation’s diversity. Akintola acknowledged that while some may still feel Tinubu was not the ideal candidate, her support reflected her personal conviction at the time.
“Somebody annoyed me; Nigerians annoyed me. Don’t bully other people. We have our right to different opinions. Don’t you like this man? Fine. You have the right not to like him. Do you prefer this person? Good for you. They bullied Aunty Joke to the point that somebody wrote something that offended me so deeply. I now did a video saying, you know what, I’m going for the same person; kill me. Let me see you change my mind with the bully,” she said.
Akintola urged Nigerians to accept that it is impossible to agree with everyone, calling diversity of thought “what makes us great, beautiful, and different.” She concluded, “Till tomorrow, you might not agree he is the best person for the job, but at that point, that is who I wanted; that is who I voted for.”
Follow Us on Facebook – @LadunLiadi; Instagram – @LadunLiadi; Twitter – @LadunLiadi; Youtube – @LadunLiadiTV for updates
