“Why I Supported Obi Instead of Tinubu in 2023” — Cubana Chief Priest

Celebrity nightlife promoter Cubana Chief Priest says his decision to support Peter Obi instead of Bola Tinubu during the 2023 presidential election was influenced by his desire to publicly align with Igbo identity.

Speaking at a rally organised by the City Boy Movement in Imo State, the socialite said he backed Obi at the time because he wanted to be seen as “an Igbo boy” supporting a candidate from the region.

He said he now considers that decision a mistake and has since changed his political stance.

According to him, the Igbo community is seeking a fair share in Nigeria’s political structure and needs to approach elections with greater political calculation.

Chief Priest also referred to the difficulties faced by the region since the Nigerian Civil War, saying the experience has shaped how many people in the south-east think about national politics.

At the rally, he urged voters in the region to support Tinubu in the 2027 election, arguing that working with the current administration could help the south-east secure greater political influence.

He also pointed to family ties involving Seyi Tinubu, noting that Tinubu’s son is married to an Igbo woman, which he described as a connection between the president’s family and the region.

In February, Chief Priest similarly called on south-east voters to back Tinubu’s re-election bid, saying he hopes the president could eventually support the emergence of an Igbo successor after completing his tenure.

The socialite was recently appointed Imo State director of the City Boy Movement, a youth-focused group campaigning for Tinubu’s re-election.