Davido Rules Out Politics After Osun Election Battle

Davido says politics is not for him

David Adeleke, popularly known as Davido, has drawn a line between political activism and political office. The Afrobeats superstar says he will not run for public office, despite becoming one of the most visible celebrity voices during the recent Osun State governorship election.

Davido made the declaration during an interview with News Central TV after his uncle, Governor Ademola Adeleke, secured a second term in office.

He said the experience of monitoring the election had exposed him to the pressure and uncertainty of Nigeria’s political system.

Davido said he could not imagine waking up to discover that voters wanted a candidate, only for the electoral process to produce a different outcome.

He also argued that his influence during the election came from something much simpler than political machinery.

“I defeated 17 governors with all their power,” he said, pointing to his phone and social media activity as the weapon he used.

That claim was political rhetoric rather than a literal electoral victory over 17 governors. His broader point was clear. He believed digital mobilisation gave ordinary voters a stronger voice.

The calls to delete his posts

Davido also disclosed that some of Nigeria’s most powerful figures contacted him during the election.

He alleged that Senate President Godswill Akpabio and businessman Aliko Dangote asked him to remove posts from X as results were being collated.

Davido said he refused. He told the interviewer that Dangote contacted him personally, but he declined to delete his updates until the Independent National Electoral Commission announced the result.

ValidViewNetwork reports that Davido’s account offers a glimpse into how social media became part of the wider political contest during the Osun election. He also alleged that more than ₦110 billion was brought into Osun to influence the election. That figure remains his allegation and should not be treated as an established fact without independent evidence.

Davido and the Okpebholo clash

Davido’s latest comments also come after weeks of political confrontation involving Edo State Governor Monday Okpebholo. During the Osun campaign, Okpebholo criticised Adeleke and repeatedly referred to the governor’s dancing image.

The remarks drew a sharp response from Davido, who defended his uncle. Davido later posted Okpebholo’s academic credentials after the Edo governor’s remarks became part of the political conversation.

The exchange showed how quickly celebrity influence can enter an electoral contest. The relationship between Davido and Nigerian politics is hardly new.

His family has deep political roots in Osun. His grandfather, Senator Raji Ayoola Adeleke represented Osun state in the senate in the second republic, his late uncle, Isiaka Adetunji Adeleke, served as the first civilian governor of the state as well as Senator representing Osun West on the floor of the Senate, while Governor Ademola Ademola Adeleke currently occupies the office.

Yet Davido now says that family involvement does not mean he wants political office for himself.

Why the declaration matters

Davido’s decision is significant because celebrity politics is no longer a sideshow in Nigeria. Social media has given entertainers access to millions of voters without requiring them to belong to a political party.

That influence can help candidates. It can also expose celebrities to pressure from political actors. Davido appears to understand that distinction.

He says he will continue making his own decisions, but he does not want people dictating who he should support in the 2027 presidential election.

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“For now,” he said, he does not want to be involved. That may be the most revealing part of his declaration. Davido has discovered that influencing politics from outside government can sometimes provide more freedom than sitting inside it, ValidViewNetwork reports.

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