Legendary Nollywood thespian, Saidi Balogun, counsels Nigerian youths when reacting to reports of being offered N20 million to support Peter Obi, the presidential candidate of the Labour Party (LP), for the coming 2023 elections.
The veteran actor advised the youths to allow Nigerians to support their preferred candidate instead of attempting to impose a particular aspirant on anyone. He added they should use Permanent Voter’s Card, PVC, to exercise their civic responsibility during the elections, not being a dictator.
Saidi Balogun, a renowned face in the movie industry, disclosed the rumours that went round, claiming that the rejected N20 Million from Peter Obi’s camp when he was approached to support the former Anambra governor for the post of the president were all lies. “They shouldn’t be spreading fake news because of anybody,” he noted.
“The only thing I can tell the youth is that they should think deeply before supporting anybody. The youths should please allow other people to support their preferred candidates. They have their PVCs; so, they shouldn’t be spreading fake news because of anybody,” the 55 years old said told the Punch.
He continued, “My advice to them is that they should use the power of their PVC. As they have the right to support any candidate of their choice, so do I. You are becoming a dictator if you are trying to force me to agree with your choice.
“I can only preach and exhibit or promote what my candidate has done or will do. You can buy into it but if you don’t, it’s fine. You’re free to present or show me the beauty of your own candidate too; and I may possibly buy into it. It is not for us to resort to abusing, cursing or fighting one another. And I need to say that it is important that when we see a piece of news, we should try and verify the authenticity before we start rebroadcasting because fake news travels fast.
Balogun further elaborated on why he is supporting Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu of the All Progressive Congress for the 2023 presidential election. He said Tinubu has the same leadership style of bringing competent people to the limelight, just like himself.
He said, “So, I came out to support Asiwaju (Bola Tinubu) and they asked me why. I told them that in Yoruba land, everybody you know who has been this and that, he (Asiwaju) was the one that brought them out – counting from (Babatunde) Fashola, (Yemi) Osinbajo to (Akinwunmi) Ambode. He (Tinubu) was the one who brought them out. When he picked these people, everybody was asking questions, but when they got there, what Asiwaju saw in these people, everybody started seeing too.
“In my films online, I have brought to limelight actors that people had not seen before; Asiwaju too has that style. I decided to give him my support. His good deeds that I know of are what I am talking about, and that’s me. Whosoever you support, it’s your personal choice and I don’t have to fight you over it”.
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