The much-anticipated 2023 elections have come and gone. While the winners are still celebrating their victory at the polls, the losers have either conceded defeat or assembled a team of lawyers to head for the election tribunal to retrieve their “stolen mandate”.
Some Nigerian celebrities have taken part in previous elections over the years, while some participated in the just concluded elections, while the likes of Desmond Elliot won, the story is not the same for some of the celebrities. LEADERSHIP Sunday takes a look at those who contested and lost in the just concluded February 25 and March 18, 2023, general elections.
Funke Akindele
Famous Nollywood star Funke Akindele, was nominated as the Lagos deputy governorship candidate under Peoples Democratic Party in the just concluded 2023 elections. In justifying her nomination, Abdul-Azeez Olajide Adediran, popularly known as Jandor, noted that the actress will add more value to his candidacy in the 2023 general elections.
Funke Akindele and her Principal, Abdulazeez Adeniran (Jandor), of the Peoples Democratic Party, lost to the incumbent governor of Lagos state, Babajide Sanwo-Olu of the All Progressives Congress, APC, who polled a total of 762,134 to defeat first runner-up, Labour Party’s Gbadebo Rhodes-Vivour, who secured 312,329 while Abdulazeez Adeniran of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, got 62,449 votes.
Saluting Akindele’s bravery, Nollywood actor cum politician, Yul Edochie wrote an open letter to his colleague, Funke Akindele, following her loss at the just concluded governorship elections. In a post on his social media handle Edochie wrote,
“To my dear colleague, @funkejenifaakindele
“I want to congratulate you for the bold political step you took, running for Deputy Governor of Lagos State. You did great.
Banky W
Nigerian music star Bankole Wellington, popularly known as Banky W, on 11 November 2018, announced his intent to run for the Lagos’ Eti-Osa Federal Constituency seat in Nigeria’s House of Representatives, on the platform of Modern Democratic Party, formed in 2017.On 23 February 2019, Wellington lost the Eti-Osa Federal Constituency Elections to Babajide Obanikoro of the All Progressive Congress.
Ahead of 2023 general election, Wellington announced that he had decamped from the Modern Democratic Party to the Peoples Democratic Party, seeking the party’s ticket to again vie for the Lagos’ Eti-Osa Federal Constituency seat in Nigeria’s House of Representatives.
In June 2022, Banky W won the Peoples Democratic Party ticket to contest as the party bearer for the Eti Osa constituency ahead of the 2023 election.
However, the Presidential and Federal House of Representative election held on 25th February, 2023 was won by the Labour Party (LP) candidate, Mr. Thaddeus Attah which saw Banky W losing again.In an interview after the result of the result of the election was announced, Banky W accepted the result of the INEC and declared: “I feel very grateful, even in defeat, because of the things we were able to accomplish.”
Caroline Danjuma
Popular Nollywood actress and star of Real Housewives of Lagos, Caroline Danjuma, was picked as the running mate of the governorship candidate of the African Action Congress (AAC) in Akwa Ibom State, Iboro Otu. AAC is political party founded by Sahara Reporters publisher, Omoyele Sowore. Otu said he picked the actress as his running mate after months of searching and researching for the right individual for the job.
He wrote on Instagram; “At a time where credible and effective leadership is in dire need in this part of the world, I spent the whole of my past months searching and researching to find the right individual for the job, one that would help in the great work of moving a vast majority of our people from abject poverty to inclusive prosperity.
“I found this candidate in Chief Mrs. Caroline Uduak Danjuma. An Eket businesswoman and philanthropist who has won the world in her line of endeavour.”
A statement from the party suggests that Ms. Caroline was picked based on the need to provide equal rights to women in politics.
“Women should not request for a particular percentage in governance; our party AAC believes in equal rights between women and men. What a man can do, a woman would do better,” AAC’s statement reads
According to the results declared by INEC, Umoh Eno of the People’s Democratic Party won the governorship election in Akwa Ibom, while Caroline and her principal came a distant sixth.
Femi Branch
Veteran Nollywood actor Femi Branch Femi Branch was the deputy governorship candidate for Ogun state alongside Tofunmi Ogunronbi under the National Rescue Movement (NRM) party. While explaining the reason behind his choice of running mate, he stressed that the actor would add more value to his candidacy, considering his vocal stance against bad governance and social injustice for which he is known by the many readers of his Poetry and his countless followers all over the world.He added that his running mate has a clear understanding of the task ahead and the need to work with a co-visionary with a shared passion for the emancipation of the good people of the unfortunately their dream of being at the helm of affairs in Ofun state government house fell flat as Femi Branch’s party came a distant 12th in the Ogun state gubernatorial election.
Olumide Oworu
Popular actor and star of the hit television series ‘The Johnsons,’ Olumide Oworu, contested for a seat in the House of Representatives to represent the Surulere I constituency in Lagos State under the platform of the Labour Party (LP). Although, he was unsuccessful in his bid to secure the seat. He lost to the incumbent, Desmond Elliott of the APC, another celebrity. However, it was later revealed that Olumide was not on the ballot. Speaking on why his name was not on the ballot he said, “regarding the authenticity of my candidacy and my name not appearing on the ballot, that is a situation that came about due to the failure of the INEC to comply with the subsisting judgement of the Federal High Court delivered on the 2nd of February 2023 in Suit No: FHC/ABJ/S/2115/2022 wherein INEC was ordered to open her website to allow the labour party to submit the list of her candidates or accept the same manually immediately,” he explained via his Twitter handle.
“INEC failed to upload the names on the list sent by the Labour Party in October 2022. I assure you that this endeavour was not one for clout but was borne out of a genuine desire for change.”
Instead, one Mr. Bode Adebayo was on the LP ballot contesting for the Surulere constituency 1, not the young actor.
After his declaration as the winner of the election, Desmond Elliot expressed his willingness to work with Oworu and other political candidates, saying he is open to working with them. At the same time, they all share ideas on how to move the constituency forward.
“Please, I am more than willing to work with you and share ideas on how to make our dear constituency a better place. I pledge to give my utmost best at giving succour and relief to my constituents to the best of my Legislative ability,” he said.
Tuoyo Ideh
Another young public personality that contested a political position in the 2023 elections is Tuoyo Ideh. The reality TV star contested for the House of Representatives, the Warri Federal constituency and lost. Tuoyo, appear on the popularly Africa must watch reality show, Big Brother Naija’s season 4 tag ‘Pepper Dem.’
Tonto Dikeh
Another ace Nollywood actress whose participation in the 2023 elections brought a lot of enthusiasm was Tonto Dikeh who, with her principal, Tonte Ibraye, stirred a lot of hope after their declaration for the Rivers state election. However, the controversial movie star dashed his fans’ hopes of going all out to vote for her when she and her principal announced that they were stepping down for the candidate of the APC, Tonye Cole. Tonto who is also musician and songwriter, has been entangled in many controversies, from her divorce from her ex-husband, Churchill Olakunle, in 2017 to a messy breakup with her ex-lover, Prince Kpokpogiri, in 2021. She hail from Ikwerre, Abio-Okpa, Rivers State, Nigeria. She is the founder of the Tonto Dikeh Foundation established on August 2000 with the goal of lending a helping hand to the less privileged.
9ice
In 2015, the singer and songwriter contested for a seat in the House of Representatives to represent the Ogbomosho North/South/ Oriire Federal Constituency in Oyo State. Unfortunately, he lost to a formidable opponent, Prince Akeem Oyewumi, son of the Soun of Ogbomoso, of the All Progressives Congress party, in the Oyo State primary.
Kate Henshaw
In 2014, Nollywood actress Kate Henshaw also lost her ticket to represent the Calabar South Federal Constituency under the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the party primary held in the state. After the primary election, she took to her Twitter account to address her loss with grace, admitting that it was free and fair while congratulating the winner.
