Some weeks ago, controversial Nollywood actress Tonto Dikeh made news when she was selected as the deputy governorship candidate for the African Democratic Congress (ADC). She will be running alongside Ijaw youth leader Mr. Tonte Ibraye who picked the actress for the 2023 governorship elections in Rivers State. Tonto is one out of many Nollywood actors to join politics in Nigeria.
Over the years, our favourite actors have joined politics. Some were elected into office or given lucrative appointments in various government agencies. Without wasting time, Skabash presents 17 Nollywood stars who joined politics.
Nollywood actors that became politicians
Here are the top seven Nollywood actors who joined politics.
Desmond Elliot
Desmond Oluwashola Elliot is a famous Nollywood actor, producer and director featured in many blockbuster movies. He joined politics in 2015 and was surprisingly elected as a lawmaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly, Surulere Constituency under the All Progressives Congress (APC) platform. Elliot recently won the party’s ticket for a third tenure in the State Assembly in the 2023 general elections.
Banky W
Olubankole Wellington aka Banky W is a Nigerian singer, rapper, actor, entrepreneur, and politician. In 2018, he declared his intention to run for the Lagos’ Eti-Osa Federal Constituency seat in Nigeria’s House of Representatives, under the platform of the Modern Democratic Party (MDP). However, he lost the elections to APC’s Babajide Obanikoro. Banky W recently made a comeback and won the constituency ticket this time under the platform of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP). He will contest for a seat in the Federal House of Representatives in the 2023 general elections.
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Yul Edochie
Yul Chibuike Daniel Edochie is a Nollywood actor, producer, director, and politician. He is also the son of veteran actor Pete Edochie. Yul Edochie contested for the office of Governor of Anambra State in 2017. Although he didn’t win, Governor Obiano appointed him Senior Special Assistant to the Governor on Creative and Entertainment media. In 2022, Yul declared his intention to run for presidency under the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) platform. Following his controversial announcement about marrying a second wife and welcoming a son, he dropped his presidential ambitions, citing his party’s lack of capacity to help him run the elections.
Femi Adebayo
Popular Yoruba actor, Femi Adebayo was appointed the Special Adviser to the Governor of Kwara State, Abdulfatah Ahmed on Arts, Culture and Tourism in 2016. He will be contesting for the senate to represent Asa/Ilorin West in the National Assembly in the upcoming 2023 elections.
Bob Manuel Udokwu
Bob-Manuel Udokwu is a veteran Nollywood actor many loved for his great acting skills and sexy voice. In 2015, he contested the House of Assembly position for the Idemili North Local Government Area for Anambra State. Later, he became the Senior Special Assistant on Movie/Entertainment under Willie Obiano’s administration.
Kenneth Okonkwo
Kenneth Okonkwo is a veteran Nollywood actor featured in many blockbuster movies. He will always be remembered for his famous And Okeke role in the 1992 classic, Living In Bondage. Okonkwo declared his intention to run for Nsukka/Igbo Eze south Federal Constituency under PDP but backed out in 2014. In 2019, he also announced he would run for Governor of Enugu State in the next elections under APC.
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Kanayo O Kanayo
Kanayo O Kanayo is a veteran Nollywood actor renowned for his role as a money ritualist. In 2011, he joined the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and contested for the House of Representatives ticket in Ahiazu/Ezinihite Mbaise Federal Constituency. But he lost in the primaries.
Nollywood actresses that became politicians
Tonto Dikeh
Tonto Dikeh is the latest Nollywood actress to join Nigerian politics. She became deputy governor aspirant under the African Democratic Congress (ADC) for the upcoming general elections in 2023. In an interview with Channels Television, the actress revealed that she has been working on her political ambition for three years.
Kate Henshaw
Nollywood actress Kate Henshaw officially joined politics in 2014. She unveiled her campaign website as she aspired to represent Calabar Municipal/Odukpani Federal constituency under PDP. However, she lost the primaries to Rt. Hon Essien Ayi. In 2015, she was appointed as Special Adviser Liaison, Lagos by the Cross River State Governor Ben Ayade. In a recent interview, she revealed that she spent 35 million naira in her ambition to win a seat in the Federal House of Representatives in 2014.
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Bukky Wright
Veteran actress, Bukky Wright contested for member of the House of Representatives at the the Abeokuta South Federal Constituency in 2014. She contested under the platform of the Social Democratic Party (SDP).
Funke Adesiyan
Yoruba actress Funke Adesiyan contested for the Ibadan South-East Constituency seat in the Oyo State House of Assembly. She won the primaries under the PDP in 2014. The actress was the second Nollywood star to win a ticket after Desmond Elliot. Unlike Elliot, she lost the election to her APC opponent by a large margin. However, Adesiyan was appointed as a political aide to Nigeria’s first lady, Aisha Buhari in 2019.
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