By Zuleihat Owuiye, Nigeria

Nollywood actress Bimbo Akintola has explained why she publicly declared her support for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu during the last presidential election.

The actress said her decision was influenced partly by what she described as online bullying directed at Nigerians who expressed political opinions that differed from those of others.

Akintola made the disclosure during an interview with Chude, where she spoke about political differences, public criticism and the treatment of people who supported different candidates during the election.

According to the actress, she became particularly concerned after veteran Nollywood actress Joke Silva faced backlash over her decision to support Tinubu.

Akintola said the criticism against Silva became so intense that it contributed to her own decision to openly declare her political preference.

“I supported President Bola Ahmed Tinubu during the last election because Nigerians annoyed me with their bullying,” she said.

The actress recalled seeing the reaction to Silva’s political position and said some of the comments directed at the veteran actress went beyond ordinary political disagreement.

She explained that after witnessing the backlash, she decided to make her own position public rather than remain silent.

“They bullied Aunty Joke to the point that someone wrote something that was so inhumane. So, I made a video and said, ‘I’m also supporting Tinubu, kill me, let me see if you can change my mind,’” Akintola said.

Her comments reflect her view that political disagreements should not result in personal attacks or harassment, particularly on social media.

Akintola stressed that Nigerians have different political opinions and should be able to express them without being attacked simply because they support a particular candidate or political party.

She urged people to accept that others may make political choices different from their own.

“Nigerians are annoying. Don’t bully other people. We have our rights to differences of opinion,” she said.

The actress added that disagreement with a politician or candidate does not give anyone the right to attack people who hold a different view.

“You don’t like this man, cool, you have the right not to like him. You prefer this person, good for you. But don’t bully others,” she added.

Akintola’s remarks highlight the intense political divisions that surrounded the 2023 presidential election, when Nigerians publicly supported different candidates and political parties.

Her account also shows how reactions on social media can influence how public figures choose to express their political positions.

By publicly declaring her support for Tinubu, Akintola said she was making it clear that criticism would not make her change her mind.

The actress’s comments have again drawn attention to the relationship between political expression and social media reactions, particularly among Nigerian entertainers and other public figures.

While celebrities often attract significant attention when they express political opinions, Akintola’s message was that individuals should be allowed to make their own political choices without being subjected to bullying or personal attacks.