LAGOS: Nollywood actress Bimbo Akintola has revealed that what she described as bullying of Nigerians over their political choices influenced her decision to publicly support President Bola Ahmed Tinubu during the 2023 presidential election.
Akintola made the disclosure during an interview with media personality Chude Jideonwo, where she criticised the practice of attacking people simply because they support a different political candidate or party.
The actress said the treatment received by veteran Nollywood actress Joke Silva over her support for Tinubu was one of the incidents that pushed her to openly declare her own support for the then All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential candidate.
According to Akintola, she became frustrated by the backlash directed at Nigerians who publicly expressed political preferences that differed from those of their critics.
She said she decided to make her own position known after seeing how Silva was treated for supporting Tinubu during the 2023 election.
Akintola recalled that some of the comments directed at Silva were so harsh that she decided to publicly identify herself as another Tinubu supporter, despite knowing that she could also face criticism.
She said her decision was therefore influenced not only by her personal political preference but also by her opposition to what she regarded as the bullying of people because of their political choices.
The actress urged Nigerians to learn to accommodate political differences, stressing that citizens have the right to support different candidates during elections.
She argued that disagreement over politics should not become an excuse for attacking or intimidating people who hold different views.
Akintola said Nigerians should be free to support whichever candidate they prefer without being subjected to personal attacks simply because their choice differs from that of others.
The actress further appealed for greater tolerance during political debates, saying people can disagree over candidates and policies without turning those disagreements into personal attacks.
Her comments come against the backdrop of intense political debates surrounding the 2023 presidential election, when support for the major candidates generated strong reactions across social media and the entertainment industry.
Akintola’s account provides her personal explanation for why she chose to publicly support Tinubu during that election. Her comments also highlight the broader issue of how celebrities and other public figures navigate political expression in Nigeria, particularly when their choices attract criticism from members of the public.
The actress ultimately called for Nigerians to respect one another’s political choices and allow citizens to make their own decisions at the ballot box.
