Davido Speaks on Osun Election, Alleges Massive Vote-Buying Attempt
E-ISSN: 2354-4481
By Mordi Azubuike
News Location: Osogbo, Osun State
Afrobeats superstar David Adeleke, popularly known as Davido, has spoken on the recently concluded Osun State governorship election, alleging that large sums of money were deployed in an attempt to influence voters during the poll.
Davido, who is a nephew of Osun State Governor Ademola Adeleke, said the alleged level of cash deployed during the election could have had serious consequences for Nigeria's democratic development if the effort had succeeded.
“If you saw the cash these people brought to the election that day, if they had gotten away with that election, Nigeria would have been finished by now because the blueprint of Nigerian election would have been violence and vote buying,” the singer said.
The musician also claimed that his political camp did not spend money on voters on Election Day, attributing his uncle's victory to perseverance despite what he described as significant opposition.
“Our camp didn’t spend a dime on the Election Day,” Davido said, while praising Governor Adeleke for emerging victorious “with all odds against us.”
His comments come amid continued debate over the role of money, political influence and voter inducement in Nigerian elections.
Davido further disclosed that Senate President Godswill Akpabio and billionaire businessman Aliko Dangote allegedly contacted him over a post he made concerning the election.
According to the singer, both prominent Nigerians called him and asked him to delete a tweet relating to the poll.
Davido did not provide further details about the content of the tweet or the circumstances surrounding the calls, but his disclosure has added another dimension to his account of events surrounding the election.
The singer also commended Governor Adeleke's performance and said his uncle should serve as an example to other state governors.
“My uncle should be an example to other Govs,” Davido said.
He also spoke about the personal support his family gave Governor Adeleke during the election period, revealing that his father was deeply involved in efforts to ensure his uncle's success.
“Even my dad was praying and fasting 7 times a day for my uncle,” he said.
Davido also addressed his long-running disagreement with Edo State Governor Monday Okpebholo, making it clear that he had no intention of apologising over a previous social media post concerning the governor's academic record.
“I didn’t do anything wrong; I just posted his WAEC results for the people of Edo State to see who is governing them,” Davido said.
The singer maintained that his action was intended to draw public attention to the information he had posted and rejected calls for an apology.
His comments have again placed the entertainer at the centre of political discussions in Nigeria, where celebrities and public figures have increasingly used their platforms to comment on elections, governance and political accountability.
Davido's remarks on the Osun election are also likely to fuel fresh discussions about the influence of money in Nigerian politics and the need for stronger safeguards against vote-buying and other forms of electoral malpractice.
While his allegations remain his account of events, they highlight the broader concerns frequently raised by electoral stakeholders and observers over the credibility, transparency and conduct of elections in Nigeria.
