Osun Election: Davido Claims Dangote, Akpabio Pressured Him to Delete Tweets

Afrobeats superstar David Adeleke, popularly known as Davido, has revealed that Senate President Godswill Akpabio and billionaire businessman Aliko Dangote were among prominent Nigerians who contacted him during the Osun State governorship election and asked him to take down his social media posts.

Davido made the disclosure during an interview with News Central TV on Tuesday, recounting the pressure he faced while monitoring developments during the election.

The singer alleged that huge sums of money were deployed in an attempt to influence the outcome of the poll, claiming that more than ₦110 billion in cash was brought into Osun State.

According to Davido, information from an insider enabled his team to monitor events on the ground and track what he described as attempts to manipulate the election through financial inducements and other means.

“I just confirmed today. They spent N110 billion. I’m coming from somewhere where we had an insider who was sending us… If you see the cash these people brought in. If they had gotten away with that election, Nigeria is finished. Because the blueprint for election will now be violence and money,” he said.

Davido said his family’s camp did not distribute money to voters on election day, insisting that their strategy was based on mobilising public support and encouraging voters to protect their ballots.

“We didn’t spend a dime on election day. All we could do was just pray that these people take their money and vote for us,” he stated.

He further claimed that voters themselves confronted individuals allegedly attempting to interfere with the electoral process.

“It got to a point where it was the Osun people that were beating the people that were trying to seize ballots. People are tired,” he added.

The singer also disclosed that he received calls from influential figures while results were being collated. He said he was urged to remove posts from X, formerly known as Twitter, where he was sharing updates from polling units and drawing attention to alleged delays in the collation process.

Davido claimed that the Senate President attempted to reach the collation centre and that he was subsequently contacted over his social media activity.

“I heard the Senate President was trying to call the collation centre… They were calling me to delete. I said sorry o. You guys have literally just gone against my uncle… I can’t delete anything,” he said.

He added that Dangote also contacted him, but that he declined to remove his posts until the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) officially announced the results.

“Uncle Aliko called me too. I said, ‘Uncle, I’m not deleting until the INEC announcement,’” Davido recounted.

The musician said the outcome of the election demonstrated that political influence and financial resources could not ultimately overpower voters who were determined to exercise their franchise.

He described the victory of his uncle, Governor Ademola Adeleke, as an example for political leaders, arguing that officials who genuinely stand with the people are more likely to receive their support at the polls.

“My uncle should be an example to all other government officials and governors. When you stand by the people, the people will stand by you,” he said.

Davido’s involvement in Osun politics is closely linked to his family’s longstanding political influence in the state. His late uncle, Senator Isiaka Adeleke, popularly known as “Serubawon,” was the first civilian governor of Osun State, serving from 1992 to 1993.

His other uncle, Ademola Adeleke, is the incumbent governor of the state.