Nollywood star Bimbo Akintola has explained that her outspoken backing of President Bola Tinubu during the 2023 elections was partly a reaction to the wave of cyberbullying she witnessed at the time.
Speaking on the WithChude podcast, the actress criticized the growing hostility on social media during the election period, noting that public figures were often attacked for expressing their political choices. She recalled being deeply upset by how her colleague, Joke Silva, was targeted online, describing the incident as a turning point.
“Somebody annoyed me. Nigerians annoyed me. Do not bully other people. We have our rights to different opinions. You do not like this man, you have a right not to like him. You prefer this person, good for you,” she said.
Akintola revealed that the harassment faced by Silva pushed her to take a stand by openly declaring her support for Tinubu. “But then someone bullied Aunty Joke to a point that it was so deeply (offensive). And I made a video saying I will be going for the same person, kill me. Let me see you kill me. Let me see you change my mind with your bully.”
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She stressed that differing viewpoints are normal in a democracy and should not lead to harassment. “We need to stop it. We need to understand that we can never agree with everybody. That is what makes us great. If we were all the same it would be a boring life,” she said.
Akintola added that while critics may still disagree with her choice, her vote was her personal decision. “Till tomorrow you might not agree that he was the best person for the job, but at that point that is who I wanted. And that is who I voted for. (You will not take my voice away). It is mine.”