Actress Bukky Raji apologises for supporting Tinubu in 2023, blames border closure for business setback

Yoruba movie actress, Bukky Raji, otherwise called Aminatu Papapa, has expressed regrets campaigning for President Bola Tinubu during the 2023 presidential election, and 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 Mr Tinubu took over on May 29, 2025, from Muhammadu Buhari.
Mrs 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.”
Clarifying that she isn’t apologising because people came for her on social media for supporting Mr Tinubu, she explained that her rice importation business crumbled since Mr Buhari closed Southern borders in October 2019, but not in the North, and hoped Mr Tinubu would reopen them but hasn’t done so.
“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.
Her comment came days after veteran actor, Ganiu Nafiu, otherwise known as Alapini, also knocked the president and his son, Seyi, for abandoning actors who campaigned for them everywhere, even in markets “like mad people”.
Other top actors, like Ronke Oshodi-Oke, have also expressed their sadness over the hardship in the country under Mr Tinubu. Olaiya Igwe, who once went to a river naked to pray for Mr Tinubu, has also apologised to those who felt offended by his show of support.
Although he insists he still stands by his choice, he admitted that he is unhappy with Mr Tinubu’s performance since becoming president.
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