Controversial street-pop star Habeeb Okikiola, widely known as Portable, has taken aim at celebrity bartender Cubana Chief Priest, calling his recent political warning to President Bola Tinubu a “joke”.
The confrontation erupted after Cubana Chief Priest reacted to Thursday’s sentencing of Nnamdi Kanu, leader of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), who was handed a life imprisonment verdict after being convicted on seven counts of terrorism.
In a strongly worded social media post, the nightlife empresario warned that Tinubu’s refusal to release Kanu would cost him massively in the 2027 general election.
According to him, the president “will never get up to 10,000 votes” from the south-east if Kanu remains in detention.
But Portable wasted no time firing back in a now-viral video, accusing Cubana Chief Priest of hypocrisy and using his closeness to power for “personal gain”.
Portable alleged that when Cubana Chief Priest visited President Tinubu, he prioritised his own interests instead of advocating for Kanu.
In his words:
“When you went to President Bola Tinubu’s office, you went to fight for your own self-interest. You didn’t remember to ask him to release your brother, Nnamdi Kanu.”
The ‘Zazuu’ crooner went further to claim that Cubana Chief Priest benefitted financially from his visit.
“You went to take pictures with the president, collected money, but forgot your brother who was in jail. Did you collect money and a contract or not?” he asked.
Portable dismissed Cubana’s prediction about Tinubu losing the region, insisting that the south-east’s voting pattern could still be influenced.
“You’re joking. They will use money to get votes from your people, and your people will take the money,” he said.
He concluded his rant by asserting that President Tinubu would still secure a second term.
“Who told you he won’t get votes? Tinubu will be reelected.”
The exchange has since stirred massive reactions online, with many Nigerians debating the role of celebrities in political commentary and the rising tension following Kanu’s sentence.
With Portable refusing to back down and Cubana Chief Priest yet to respond, the controversy continues to trend across social media platforms.