Davido rejects claims over his role in Adeleke’s Osun victory, saying he backed his family alone and wants no further part in Nigerian politics
Afrobeats star David Adeleke, popularly known as Davido, has rejected claims about his role in Governor Ademola Adeleke’s re-election in Osun State, saying on Monday, August 17, 2026, that he supported his uncle on his own and now wants to distance himself from Nigerian politics.
The singer made the comments on social media after Dayo Israel, the National Youth Leader of the All Progressives Congress, discussed the role of young voters, political mobilisation and influential personalities in the outcome of the Osun governorship election.
Israel had identified Davido as one of the personalities who shaped the election, arguing that the singer’s influence among young people and his ability to bring artistes, influencers and other voices into the campaign had political significance.
Davido, however, pushed back against that account.
“I brought no one! No one defended me! I backed my family on my own!! You guys r ruthless n disgusting! Eeewwww! I have done my job!” the singer wrote.
He then delivered a broader criticism of the political environment, adding, “Nigerian politics is evil AND I DONT WANT TO BE A PART OF IT TILL GOD HELPS US!”
The remarks followed a closely watched election in which Ademola Adeleke secured a second term as Osun State governor.
Adeleke, who contested under the Accord Party after previously winning the governorship on the Peoples Democratic Party platform in 2022, defeated APC candidate Bola Oyebamiji.
The governor polled 511,067 votes, while Oyebamiji secured 444,815 votes, giving Adeleke a winning margin of 66,252 votes.
Adeleke also won 19 of the state’s 30 local government areas, according to reports of the final result.
Davido’s support for his uncle during the campaign had attracted considerable attention because of his enormous following, particularly among younger Nigerians.
The singer has previously been publicly involved in political conversations and has used his social media platforms to express strong views on elections and governance.
His family connection to Ademola Adeleke has also made his involvement in Osun politics difficult to separate from his public identity.
The latest exchange, however, suggests that Davido wants to draw a line between his support for his family and wider partisan politics.
Dayo Israel’s comments came as the APC began reflecting on its defeat in Osun and what the result could mean for the party ahead of the 2027 general election.
Israel has called for a strategic rethink of the party’s approach to youth mobilisation, arguing that conventional political structures are no longer enough to guarantee electoral success.
Israel’s assessment was notable because it did not simply attribute the defeat to party machinery.
He argued that Adeleke’s personal appeal and Davido’s influence among young people were among the factors that helped shape the political contest.
He also praised President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for not using federal power to influence the outcome of the state election in favour of the APC, describing the approach as an important test of Nigeria’s democratic process.
For Davido, however, the conversation appears to have become personal.
His response conveyed frustration at being credited with a broader mobilisation effort that he says he did not undertake.
Rather than claiming responsibility for the result, the singer insisted that his motivation was straightforward: standing by his family.
The episode has once again highlighted the unusual intersection between Nigeria’s entertainment industry and politics, where celebrities with large digital audiences can become influential voices during elections even when they do not hold political office.
Davido’s latest declaration may therefore be significant beyond the immediate disagreement with an APC official.
His decision to step away, if maintained, would remove one of Nigeria’s most prominent entertainers from an increasingly active space ahead of the 2027 elections.
For now, the singer’s position is clear. After supporting Ademola Adeleke’s successful bid for another term in Osun, Davido says he has done what he believes he needed to do for his family and does not want to remain involved in Nigerian politics.
