Politics
We made mistake endorsing presidential candidate in 2019 – Nollywood actors
The President of Actors Guild of Nigeria, Emeka Rollas, has revealed how the association made mistake during the 2019 presidential election by endorsing and rallying behind a candidate.
Rollas, a veteran filmmaker, director and actor who is famous for featuring in blockbuster movies like Beyond Reason (2004) and Last Warning 2 (2002), said this during a live chat with the Daily Trust on Sunday.
He shared his thoughts about the dynamics of the nation’s 2023 presidential election and how it could affect the country’s film industry, Nollywood.
He said Actors Guild of Nigeria, which is an umbrella union that regulates and represents the affairs of film actors in Nigeria, had learnt some lessons from the last presidential election and would try not to repeat same as 2023 elections approach.
He added that the association, which has members across the 36 states of the federation, would only support a candidate who has plans for establishing the Ministry of Nollywood.
Rollas said, “First of all, as an individual, you retain your right to support whatever politician you want to support. But it becomes a joke taken too far when you see more than one actor or group of actors coming together to say we are standing for somebody. That means you’re infringing on the Actors Guild of Nigeria, which is an association of actors.
“So literally, we have told members anywhere you see more than one actor, you’re no longer allowed to operate within any other name. When it comes to politics, we must know as actors that we are influencers and people follow us a whole lot. We are role models, so we must try as much as possible to find out what are the ideologies of persons or parties that we are trying to endorse.
“And then as Actors Guild of Nigeria, we don’t want to go back to the same mistake we made in 2019 where we put all our eggs in one basket. You see group of actors, almost all under the umbrella of our guild supporting a particular candidate and then it so happened that when that candidate didn’t make it to the presidency, it now looked like the Actors Guild of Nigeria was partisan or was a member of that party.
“So now we’ve told our members to be sure… I’ve also said it clearly in other fora that the only presidential aspirant whether in the APC or PDP or any other party that’s not willing or is not able to provide for us Ministry of Nollywood in the coming dispensation would of course not be part of those we will be standing for.”
Popular Afrobeats singer and record label owner, Bankole Wellington better known as Banky W will have to wait for another four years to pursue his ambition to represent his constituency at the Green Chamber of the national assembly.
This is because the Appeal Court has declared the Labour Party (LP) candidate, Thaddeus Atta, as the duly elected House of Representatives member representing Eti Osa Federal Constituency in Lagos State.
TheNiche had earlier reported that the National Assembly Elections Petition Tribunal sitting at Tafawa Balewa Square, Lagos in September declared the February 25 election inconclusive.
The judges after due consideration of a petition brought by Banky W challenging Atta’s victory, ordered the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to conduct a supplementary election within 90 days in 33 polling units where elections were not held.
Reacting to the verdict of the Lagos State Election Tribunal, LP candidate, Atta said he will continue working for the people of Etiosa despite the judgment.
He also insisted that the judges merely ordered a re-run in units election didn’t take place and that he was not sacked.
He said: “The Tribunal has simply ordered a re-run (supplementary election) in the 32 polling units where elections did not hold.
“We will continue working for Etiosa. I urge constituents to keep calm as we are unshaken. We will get through this together,”
However, the Appeal Court on Tuesday after an appeal by the LP candidate, overturned the tribunal’s verdict that the elections were conclusive and affirmed Atta’s victory.
In February, Banky W, who contested as the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the 2023 election was declared the runner-up to eventual winner, Thaddeus Atta, while Ibrahim Babajide Obanikoro, the candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) came third.
Actor Yul Edochie has been spotted at the Presidential Election Petition Tribunal.
The actor, who recently declared his support for President Bola Tinubu, was seen at the tribunal on Wednesday, September 6, where judgement on the petitions challenging Tinubu’s emergence were being delivered.
Yul, son of the legendary Pete Edochie, was dressed in local fabrics, popularly known as senator, with a red cap to signify his Igbo origin.
Another actor Zack Orji was also spotted at the presidential election tribunal. The movie star was addressed in an all-white senator and a white cap. His white beard and outfit turned out to be a perfect fit for the camera.
Zack, alongside Saidi Balogun, Foluke Daramola, Benedict Johnson and Gentle Jack, paid a visit to Tinubu in September 2022 while the latter was still the All Progressives Congress’s presidential candidate.
During the visit, the former governor of Lagos State said the highly productive talents of filmmakers and actors must yield bountiful benefits for them and Nigeria.
In August, Yul declared his support for President Bola Tinubu, describing him as a man of wisdom.
The 41-year-old, who once contested for the seat of governor of Anambra State, announced his stance in an Instagram post with a picture of Tinubu.
He said that as a leader “some of your decisions may not be fully understood by the people, even though they’re in the best interest of the people. You have my support, Sir. @officialasiwajubat I know you’re a man of wisdom.”
As of the time of this report, the tribunal had not made its final judgement on the petitions by the Labour Party, Peter Obi, the PDP, and Atiku Abubakar.
Kano State Censorship Board has revoked the operational licences of all actors and actresses, including
directors and producers in its film-making industry popularly known as Kannywood.
The head of the board, Abba El-Mustapha, said the decision aims to sanitise the industry and ensure proper documentation.
El-Mustapha said all celebrities and producers must renew their licences to operate in the state.
“We have cancelled all licences of all guilds in the industry for proper documentation and to have effective plans that will address some of the problems in the industry.
“We have about 13 guilds; we have revoked all their licences, enabling us to sanitise the industry. Before a license is issued to any person, we must be satisfied with the person.
“The decision also affects all the singers and other entertainers in the Kannywood industry;/they must renew their licences, and we are going to fetch out the bad eggs among them, El-Mustapha told Freedom Radio on Saturday.
Reactions have been slow and mixed given the stronghold that the state government has on the entertainment and creative sector in the northern part of Nigeria.
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