Nollywood actress Bukky Raji, popularly known as Aminatu Papapa, has publicly apologised to Nigerians over her support for President Bola Tinubu during the 2023 general elections, saying her decision was driven by business interests and misplaced trust.
In a now-viral interview with Oyinmomo TV on YouTube, the actress said she deeply regrets backing the Tinubu campaign and appealed to Nigerians, especially those going through hardship, to forgive her.
She said, “What I regret in my life is that they said they wanted to renew hope.
“I use this moment to beg Nigerians, those I love, that love me and don’t love me.”
She continued, “The only thing I regret…I wasn’t told, I later saw it.
“Don’t be angry, your source of living won’t be difficult.
“There is a saying that anyone that you have not seen for a long time, there is need to observe the person carefully again, not vouching for the person.
“That was where I made mistake.”
Clarifying her reasons, the actress explained that her apology is not driven by online backlash but by her personal reflections.
The actress said her rice business, which was affected after the Buhari administration closed the Southern borders in 2019 made her support Tinubu’s agenda, since he was from her region and may consider reopening it.
“It’s not because people bashed me on my page but because I sat down and reflected… ‘Oh God, I’ve made a mistake.’
“It was the campaign that I did for Tinubu that I am pained about. The masses are hungry.
“What I thought was that in the North, the borders were opened during Buhari’s administration.
“My thought was that when Jagaban gets into office, he will reopen the borders in our region,” she disclosed.
“I, myself, I took part in the suffering because it’s the business I’m in.
“I began this business with 20 bags of rice, then I became someone that was offloading trailers of rice.
“Now, tell me, didn’t I also take part in the suffering? I felt if he (Tinubu) gets elected, things will be better… but it’s all of us that’s suffering it, including those that campaigned and those that didn’t.
“Don’t be angry, I’ve offended you. That’s my regret in life, not because people bashed me. If you come for me, I will come for you,” she added.
Raji also cited Tinubu’s antecedent in Lagos during his reign as the state governor, and also promises made by some undisclosed politicians during campaign meetings.
“When we were in a meeting, some politicians said they were going to make impact on citizens.
“If you are assured of their manifesto, won’t you speak to people about their mandate as an ambassador? You will definitely go.”
“These people told us they were going to work. It is still the same as yesterday,” she lamented.
On whether she was paid for her campaign efforts, Raji insisted she received nothing, blaming internal wrangling among actors who participated in the campaign.
The actress said,”I can boldly say I did not receive a dime, and it was not as if they did not offer us money.
“I told everyone that we did it together that it was Awolowo curse that had effect on every one of us.
“We were told to share the money equally but some disagreed. They said they are some elders somewhere.
“Yes, we had elders among us in the industry but that was the genesis of the disunity.
“At the end of the day, we did not get anything.”
“I am speaking for myself, maybe others collected… He never said he was not going to give us money, he did, but disunity, lack of love, and greed followed…”
Raji also recalled how, during a past downturn in her business, her husband’s support helped her bounce back.
The actress had previously clashed online with fellow actress Adunni Ade shortly after the 2023 presidential election, after Adunni slammed unnamed celebrities for backing political candidates.
Adunni had claimed some celebrities wasted two months campaigning for “a meagre N90,000.”
In response, Raji had fired back in a video, saying their support was out of loyalty, not money.
“Adunni Ade or what are they calling you? Are you crazy?
“You said some people went to work for 40 days and at the end of the day the money they were given is peanut. What’s your on there?
“Did they tell you we went there because of money? Or the love we have for Asiwaju?” Raji fumed.
The PUNCH