It is no more news that these top Nollywood Actresses Funke Akindele, Tonto Dikeh and Funke Akindele performed woefully in the just concluded gubernatorial election. One would have concluded that considering their ratings in the movie industry and high numbers of followers on social media, that their fans would come out in millions to support their political ambitions. They never got any support from their industry talk more of the different states they were contesting Deputy Governors of the States.
The Lagos State chapter of the Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP) named Funke Akindele as the Deputy governorship candidate with her running mate Olajide Adediran popularly known as Jandor. Though many were excited about the news, but were not sure how Funke and Jandor will become victorious at the elction, considering the fact that Lagos is an APC State, and the party has it’s stronghold in Lagos State.
The multi-talented actress also boasted of delivering her over 15 million followers on Instagram for the party. Many also expected that her popularity and die hard fans will work tiredlessly to see her victorious at the election. According to her, while speaking on how she intended to defeat APC, “I have more than 20m fans on social media and also at the grassroots level. I have fans at the grassroots level outside Ikorodu ready to support me and I’m true to myself…. I’m here to provide solutions in Lagos, I’m in the system, I feel the pain and we all known where the shoe pinches us”.
Jide Adediran, the PDP governorship candidate for Lagos also explained on National Television, why he chose Funke Akindele as his running mate. “Funke Akindele, people call her an actress but I will say I picked a Lawyer who found love in flim making. Beyond being an actress, she is a film maker, someone who has grown her business from zero to something and has won massive followership in the process of what she’s been doing for years.”
“She is an Ikorodu born diva whom I believe is going to add value to my candidacy. Some people are forgetting that the purpose upon which a political party is established is to win elections. “My running mate is a brand that connects the grassroot and my people in the cyber space.”
“So a combination of that force already spells doom for the Lagos APC in 2023 in Lagos. What we have is an unsual situation and it requires an usual solution. This is why we have presented to Lagosians a total departure from the norm. This is something fresh”.
Also The African Democratic Congress ADC chose star actress Tonto Dikeh as the running mate to the governorship candidate of the party in Rivers State. The State Chairman of the ADC leader Sampson said the decision was to encourage women, particularly the young ones to go into politics.
He also disclosed that Tonto has been a member of the party for over a year and possessed the qualities required for the position. The ADC Chairman said Tonto has added a lot of value to the party since she joined.
In this regard, Caroline Danjuma is the third actress chosen to be a running mate to a gubernatorial candidate in the just concluded election. The governorship candidate of the African Action Congress (AAC) in Akwa Ibom State Iboro Otu picked Star actress Caroline Danjuma as his running mate. AAC is a left wing political party created by a 2019 presidential aspirant and Sahara Reporters Publisher, Omoyele Sowore.
Mr. Otu, a renowned music engineer said he picked the actress as his running mate after months of searching and researching for the right individual for the job. According to him “I found this candidate in Chief Mrs. Caroline Uduak Danjuma, an Eket businesswoman and philanthropist who has the world in her line of endeavour.” These three super stars are rated among the successful actresses and film makers in the entertainment industry, and many will easily conclude their popularity and status will easily help them achieve so much for their parties, but unfortunately, they couldn’t achieve much in terms of attracting votes.
It was revealed that many don’t even know Caroline in Akwa Ibom, she rarely goes to the state and doesn’t relate with people in Akwa Ibom unlike other stars from that state; and many felt she is from Cross River State, since she is not popular in Akwa Ibom.
Tonto Dikeh on the other hand has always been active in politics, she has done so much for the youths of her state, through her NGO. She is also a regular face in the state, as she has contributed her own quota to the growth and development of her people. It is also a known fact, that many are aware of the fact that star actress Funke is from Lagos, Ikorodu to be precise.
Many fans tag these super stars as arrogant in the industry, as they don’t associate with their colleagues as such. They pick who they mingle with. They are all financially buoyant and call the shots in their other businesses, besides their acting careers. The three of them also didn’t get any support from the movie industry they belong to, as the industry as a whole is divided into two, supporting two political parties, APC and LP.
The Yoruba arm of the industry threw their weight behind APC, due to MC Oluomo’s strong influence in the industry, while the English arm of the industry, were in support of Labour party, and this explains why most of the celebrities never campaigned or supported any of their colleagues in other parties.
Most of these actresses friends and colleagues have pledged their loyalty to the President elect, Bola Tinubu who had set up committees headed by some of their friends and colleagues in the movie industry.
It was also revealed that none of their colleagues were willing to campaign for them because they have not been supporting their colleagues in their careers, so they decided to stay away. They on the other hand didn’t bother carrying their colleagues along, knowing well, that, they won’t get their support in the first place, so they decided to carry their cross without depending on colleagues in the industry.
Also, lets not forget that the movie industry is filled with friends with benefit. They envy each other, so instead of working together for the benefit of one person, they will rather support a neutral person, they can benefit from financially. So, it’s everyman for himself.
All these factors worked against these super stars, and they have since accepted their fate and moved on in life. Caroline Danjuma shared this on her Ig page after the election “It was a learning curve, I wish we had the chance to prove our capabilities, Akwa Ibom with over 50 percent rate in Unemployment, over 80 percent rate in poverty deserves leaders that can save the state, young, educated, professionals with empathy like us would have been the best team for Akwa Ibom. Thank you for picking me as your running mate, for this opportunity which has motivated me further to serve even more.
Thank you AAC for the opportunity, I pray for you to be a more structured party with more great and young leaders. May God guide your steps. To those who rooted for me, the race never ends till there is no life, we keep moving…”
Funke Akindele also shared a special on her Ig page after the election. “It has been an amazing and insightful experience on my journey to the ballot and I must say it was an absolute learning curve for me. A lot of things have been learned and unlearned. I sincerely do not regret taking this huge step of running for office…”
Star actress Tonto Dikeh also shared a special message after the election. According to her “The 2023 General Election has been an incredible journey filled with both triumphs and disappointments. But as I reflect on the experience, I am grateful for the opportunity to have been a part of it all, especially for being considered the Deputy Governorship candidate under the prestigious platform of Africa Democratic Congress (ADC) with His Excellency, I don’t take this for granted…”
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