Despite backlash, Yoruba actors Daramola, Kosoko, others back APC again in Lagos local elections
While some Yoruba actors have expressed regret over unfulfilled promises from the APC, others who appear to have benefited are once again back campaigning for the ruling party ahead of the 12 July Lagos local government election.
Their renewed campaign for the APC sparked widespread reactions, particularly given the public regrets earlier expressed by some of the actors over similar political campaigns in the past.
PREMIUM TIMES reported that actors Fatai ‘Lalude’ Adetayo, Ronke Oshodi-Oke, and Ganiu ‘Alapini’ Nafiu admitted they regretted campaigning for President Bola Tinubu in the build-up to the 2023 presidential election, as well as supporting the re-election bid of Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu.
Lalude accused the President of the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW), Musiliu ‘MC Oluomo’ Akinsanya, alongside Mr Tinubu and Mr Sanwo-Olu, of betrayal and abandonment.
He alleged that none of the promises made to them during the one month and three weeks they spent campaigning were fulfilled.
The actors vowed never to be swayed by such political promises again, particularly in the 2027 general elections.
Nevertheless, some actors appear either unbothered by those past disappointments or perhaps satisfied that the promises made to them in the last campaign were honoured.
They have now publicly rejoined the APC campaign trail, participating with visible enthusiasm and joy.
At the mega rally held on Tuesday in the Kosofe area of Lagos State to showcase the APC candidates for the forthcoming local government elections, popular actors Foluke Daramola and Bidemi Kosoko were among the notable personalities in attendance.
They joined party faithful, residents, and key stakeholders to endorse the APC candidates for Ikosi-Isheri LCDA, Kosofe Local Government, and Agboyi-Ketu LCDA at the event, which was tagged the ‘APC Greater Kosofe Mega Rally.’
Among the candidates endorsed at the rally were Samiat Bada, the incumbent Mayoress of Ikosi-Isheri LCDA, who is seeking re-election, and Moyosore Ogunlewe, the incumbent Chairman of Kosofe Local Government, who was also backed for another term.
In addition, Adetola Abubakar was unveiled as the party’s candidate for Agboyi-Ketu LCDA.
A viral video obtained by this newspaper captured Daramola and Kosoko urging the public to come out en masse on election day to cast their votes.
Speaking at the rally, Daramola urged the people to turn out in large numbers to vote for the party’s candidates.
“Let’s sweep them into the bush with our broom. Go out and vote, and we will win because it is the APC that is capable of ruling,” she said.
Furthermore, Kosoko maintained that the APC is the only party capable of governing effectively among all those contesting.
She noted, “My fellow electorate, let me see your hands up—those who are for APC, raise your hands. My slogan is: ‘empty barrels make the loudest noise; moths can’t do it’. Let’s use our thumbs to decide. We must endeavour to go out and vote. If you love those currently representing you, go out and vote for them again.
“And for those who are just contesting under our APC, let’s give them our votes. As for the other parties who have come here to campaign, apart from my beautiful sister, Princess Samiat Bada, none of them are capable.”
However, the actors’ viral campaign video stirred a buzz on social media, sparking numerous reactions from netizens.
While some users claimed that the APC was merely using the actors to push its agenda, similar to the 2023 presidential campaign, others urged the actors to simply collect their money, warning that regret would no longer be entertained.
Below are some of the comments.
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