Nigerian nightlife entrepreneur and celebrity barman Cubana Chief Priest has triggered widespread reactions online after publicly explaining why he switched political allegiance from former Labour Party presidential candidate Peter Obi to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu during a livestream hosted by popular content creator Peller.
Speaking during the livestream, the celebrity businessman, whose real name is Pascal Okechukwu, stated that President Tinubu “no really trust” him because he previously worked for Peter Obi during the 2023 presidential election campaign. However, he said he decided to align himself with Tinubu because he did not want to “lose again,” adding that “serious people will win.”
The comments, delivered partly in Pidgin English, quickly went viral across Nigerian social media platforms, generating heated debate among supporters of both political camps. Many users on X, Facebook, TikTok and Instagram reacted to the statement, with some describing it as political realism while others accused the businessman of abandoning the movement he once publicly supported.
Cubana Chief Priest was among several entertainers and celebrities who openly identified with Peter Obi and the Obidient Movement during the 2023 general election. Obi, who contested under the Labour Party, gained massive support from Nigerian youths and urban voters, especially across the South-East region where he won overwhelmingly.
Since the election, however, Cubana Chief Priest has repeatedly made comments suggesting a political shift towards President Tinubu and the ruling All Progressives Congress. Earlier this year, he publicly described his support for Obi during the last election as a “careless mistake,” saying he initially acted based on ethnic sentiment as an Igbo man.
The businessman also argued in previous appearances that the South-East region needs stronger political alignment with the federal government to avoid political isolation. According to him, politics should be approached strategically rather than emotionally.
His latest comments on Peller’s livestream have again reignited conversations around ethnicity, loyalty and political pragmatism in Nigeria’s evolving democratic space. Political commentators say the statement reflects a broader trend in which influential celebrities and social media personalities increasingly shape political narratives and public discourse through online platforms.
While supporters of President Tinubu welcomed the comments as an endorsement of the current administration’s political strength, loyalists of Peter Obi criticised the remarks, insisting that political conviction should not be based solely on electoral victory.
As of Wednesday evening, neither the Presidency nor Peter Obi had officially reacted to Cubana Chief Priest’s latest remarks. However, clips from the livestream continued to circulate widely online, drawing thousands of reactions and comments from Nigerians both within and outside the country.
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