Tony Umez, a veteran actor in Nollywood, has responded to reports that a presidential candidate wanted him to endorse them with a sum of money.

He said this in an interview with Punch Newspaper:

”The report is false, and I don’t know where it emanated from. Nobody has approached me for anything. Nobody approached me to endorse anybody for N10m. I have my preferred candidate.

I have not endorsed any candidate publicly that is because it is not my style. However, people who know me know who I am supporting. Publicly endorsing a candidate is the choice of anyone who decides to do that. Whether the person is doing it for money, or so as to be noticed in exchange for pecuniary gains, I don’t know.

For the entertainers that have endorsed candidates, I don’t know whether they were paid or not. One cannot force anybody to support one’s candidate. Politics is a game. We all have reasons for supporting particular candidates. If my reason for supporting any candidate does not appeal to anyone, that does not give them the right to castigate me.

It is just that there is a general feeling of rage and anger across the land because of all the things we’re going through as a nation. Some people believe that when one endorses a particular person, one is doing a disservice to the nation, going by what we have on ground. The bottom line is that politics is a game. Anyone can play it, but they should not insult others in the process.”

Expressing his thoughts on entertainers that are aspiring for public offices, he said, “Are they not human beings? They have the right to vote and be voted for. They are Nigerians, educationally qualified, and mature enough to know right from wrong. It then depends on the electorate. Do they think these people are the right people to actualise their expectations? If yes, they can vote for them.

Don’t forget that if they harness their social capital very well, they (entertainers) can bring a lot to the table. Politics is a game of numbers, and some of these entertainers have huge followership.”

Source: https://aderonkebamidele.com/2023-nobody-approached-me-to-endorse-anybody-for-n10m-tony-umez-clears-the-air/

I believe that as Nigerians, we have suffered enough to have gained enough sense ahead of 2023. It's time we shun money politics and choose the right person that will take the nation out of the current quagmire. No amount of money should be big enough to make you endorse anyone that will further plunge the nation into more years of unimaginable suffering.