Yoruba movie actress, Bukky Raji, better known Aminatu Papapa, has expressed deep regrets campaigning for President Bola Tinubu during the 2023 presidential election, and also apologised to Nigerians for doing so.
Speaking in an interview that went viral on Saturday, the actress lamented the sufferings and hardship bedevilling Nigerians, including her, since Tinubu took over.
Raji stated, “I regret it in my life because he said he wanted to renew hope. I use this moment to beg Nigerians, those I love, that love me and don’t love me. The only thing I regret…one wasn’t told, I later saw it. Don’t be angry, your eating and drinking won’t be difficult. It’s someone that’s not been seen in a long time that they greet, “it’s been a while,” not vouching for the person. That’s where I made mistake.”
She clarified that she is not apologizing for her support of Tinubu, despite facing backlash on social media. She explained that her rice importation business crumbled since former president, Muhammadu Buhari closed Southern borders in October 2019, while the Northern borders remained open. She had hoped that Tinubu would reopen the Southern borders, but that has not happened.
“It’s not because people came for me on my page but because I sat down and said “Oh God”, I’ve made a mistake. What have I done? People are hungry. What I thought was that in the North, the borders were opened during Buhari’s administration. My thought was that when Jagaban gets into office, he will reopen the borders in the South.”
“I’ve taken part in the suffering because it’s the business I’m in. I started with 20 bags of rice. I was someone trailers of rice were brought to. Now, tell me, didn’t I also take part in the suffering? I felt if he gets there, things will be better but it’s all of us that’s suffering it, including those that campaigned and others that didn’t. Don’t be angry, I’ve offended you. That’s my regret in life, not because people came for m0e,” she pleaded.