I left politics because i couldn’t sell my soul- Jim Iyke

Nollywood actor Jim Iyke said he quitted politics to avoid selling or compromising his soul.

Jim Iyke ventured into politics in 2014, joining Young Democratic Party. He was then the party’s Director General in the Diaspora.

Nigerian politics has often been described as a dirty game characterised by violence, rigging, bribery, corruption, and other manipulations perpetrated by politicians during elections.

A Human Rights Watch report in 2007, detailed how former Anambra governor Chris Ngige was rigged into office by influential politician Chris Uba, with the latter signing a contract to effectively handover government’s business to Mr Uba while he serves as mere “administrator”.

The arrangement however did not endure as Mr Ngige didn’t keep to his side of the agreement. He was later removed by courts for the actual winner, Peter Obi.

Jim Iyke, in an interview with BBC Igbo on Friday, said he left politics to avoid compromising his soul, while describing the politics of his home state Anambra as a “jungle on earth”.

“I tried doing politics but what I was required to compromise was almost like selling your soul. I’m principled,” he said. “The day my people summon me to serve, then I come out. If there’s a jungle on earth, it’s Anambra politics. It’s a different game.”

True to Jim Iyke’s assertion, Anambra is described by Chris Uba as “a very hot place, a place where everyone needs to be careful.”

The actor further said he does not want to be a puppet in the hands of any godfather, fearing that game could consume him at the long run.

“I know that if I foray into politics, it’s either it consumes me or I get what I want. But I don’t want to be desperate or have a godfather play me around like a puppet. I don’t want to stain myself,” Iyke said.