Afrobeats star David Adeleke, popularly often known as Davido, has described his uncle, Osun State Governor Ademola Adeleke, as an example of how leaders who work for the folks can earn their loyalty on the poll field.
Davido, talking in an interview with News Central on the end result of the Osun governorship election, mentioned the consequence demonstrated that voters might resist cash and intimidation when decided to decide on their most popular candidate.
He mentioned the election was notably important as a result of, in his view, it confirmed that political victory might nonetheless be secured by way of widespread assist slightly than monetary inducement.
“If they had gotten away with that election, Nigeria is finished because the blueprint for the election would not be violence and money,” he mentioned.
According to him, the Adeleke marketing campaign didn’t spend cash on voters on election day, however relied on prayers and the willingness of the folks to vote in response to their convictions.
“We did not spend a dime on election day. What we could do is just pray that the people took their money and voted for us,” he mentioned.
Davido additionally alleged that he carefully monitored the importing of outcomes by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), claiming that outcomes from polling models had been initially being uploaded at common intervals earlier than the method was delayed.
“My checkmating INEC, when the election started, the results were being offloaded every thirty minutes in about 3,700 polling units. But when it got to 3,200, for about five hours, it stopped,” he mentioned.
The singer mentioned he grew to become suspicious throughout the delay, alleging that he believed there have been makes an attempt to control the method as a result of the margin between Adeleke and the APC candidate was already substantial.
“I already knew what was going on, that they were trying to see how to manipulate, and that is different when you are losing with over 60,000 votes,” he mentioned.
He additional claimed that a number of influential Nigerians contacted him throughout the collation of outcomes, asking him to reasonable his public feedback and social media posts.
Davido mentioned he refused to delete his posts till INEC formally introduced the ultimate consequence, insisting that the folks of Osun had exercised their constitutional proper to decide on their governor.
He additionally mentioned the election reached a degree the place residents themselves resisted makes an attempt to disrupt the method, describing the event as proof of rising voter dedication.
“It got to a point that it was the Osun people that were beating the people that came to snatch the ballot box because people are tired,” he mentioned.
The singer subsequently linked Adeleke’s victory to the governor’s relationship with the folks, arguing that leaders who ship for their constituents might rely on them when elections got here.
“My uncle should be an example to all other government officials and governors that when you stand by the people, they will also stand by you,” he mentioned.
The 2026 Osun governorship election, held on August 15, was a carefully watched contest between the incumbent Adeleke of the Accord Party, APC candidate Bola Oyebamiji and ADC candidate Najeem Salaam, amongst others.
INEC declared Adeleke the winner after he secured 511,067 votes, defeating Oyebamiji, who polled 444,815 votes, by 66,252 votes. Salaam completed third with 17,180 votes.
The consequence gave Adeleke a second time period and marked one other chapter in Osun’s fiercely aggressive electoral historical past. In the 2022 election, Adeleke defeated the then incumbent,
Gboyega Oyetola of the APC, with 403,371 votes in opposition to Oyetola’s 375,027.
For Davido, nonetheless, the importance of the consequence went past his uncle’s re-election, as he argued that the end result represented a defence of voters’ freedom to decide on their most popular candidates regardless of political celebration.
“Do you know what it means for people to give you over 400,000 votes? That is not a joke,” he mentioned, including that the folks of Osun had demonstrated that they might decide the route of their state by way of the poll.
He mentioned the end result ought to function a warning in opposition to makes an attempt to control elections or impose candidates on voters.
“For the people of Osun State, I don’t think they know what they have done for the state and Nigeria because if they had taken this one, I don’t think there is hope for anything,” he mentioned.
“People should be able to choose who they want from the different parties in different states. It is only fair.”
Davido added that with Adeleke’s victory, regardless of the chances in opposition to the governor, had strengthened his perception within the energy of voters and divine intervention.
“With all odds against us, my uncle came out triumphant. It just proves to me that God is real,” he mentioned.
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