Davido’s Osun election diary: How he became the loudest voice in the governorship race

Davido goes full election warrior: INEC pressure, APC mockery, vote inflation alert, and a shot at Tinubu

It was the most politically charged day of Davido’s public life. On Saturday, August 15, 2026, as Osun State went to the polls in a fiercely contested governorship election, Afrobeats superstar David Adeleke — nephew of incumbent Governor Ademola Adeleke — transformed his verified X account into the most-followed real-time election commentary operation in Nigeria, firing salvos at INEC, the APC, opposition figures and ultimately President Bola Tinubu in a series of posts that kept millions glued to their screens from morning to evening.

Early Morning: Practical Voter Mobilisation

Davido’s election day began with a practical intervention. Amid widespread reports of Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) malfunctions at polling units across the state, he urged voters to ask INEC officials to switch to the device’s front camera when the main camera failed. “If your BVAS camera is not working, please tell the officials to use front camera. It is very active and fast!” he posted, a tip that spread rapidly among voters, according to Daily Trust. He also urged residents to remain at their polling units, document everything and forward result sheet photographs to a dedicated WhatsApp number.

Afternoon: INEC in the Crosshairs

By 2:33 p.m., with voting still underway but results conspicuously absent from INEC’s IReV Result Viewing Portal, Davido went directly at the electoral commission. “INEC, it is now 2:33 p.m., yet no result has been uploaded to the IReV portal. What is the delay? Nigerians deserve transparency and timely updates,” he wrote, tagging INEC’s official account, according to Vanguard. He followed immediately with a direct voter instruction: “Make sure your polling unit results are uploaded on IReV in your presence and make sure the figures are entered on eEC8A. We will follow our votes bumper to bumper!”

He also reported that some Presiding Officers were insisting on inputting results only at the Collation Centre rather than uploading them directly from polling units — a practice Accord Party supporters were urged to resist firmly, according to Daily Post.

Early Results: The Taunts Begin

As polling unit results began trickling in favouring Adeleke’s Accord Party, Davido’s tone shifted from watchdog to combatant. When Accord beat APC 125 votes to 85 at former Governor Olagunsoye Oyinlola’s own polling unit in Okuku, Odo-Otin local government area, Davido fired a pointed jab: “He needs to return our car” — a reference to a simmering public dispute over a vehicle Oyinlola had insisted was a statutory entitlement for former governors rather than a personal gift from Adeleke, according to Legit.ng.

Results from former Governor Gboyega Oyetola’s hometown triggered another celebration. “We dey flog Oyetola for him hometown!!! I don order case of Martell like this,” Davido wrote. He tagged Governor Adeleke directly, adding: “BULLDOZER!!!!!!! BULLDOZER!!!!!!!” Former Governor Bisi Akande’s ward falling to Accord produced yet another taunt: “Their group chat don scatter! Baba Akande lost his ward. Gov Adeleke is cruising to victory. Shame APC. Osun no be Edo!” according to Daily Post.

He also issued a blanket warning to the public: “Every election result posted from APC handles, consider it fake. They are failing already.”

New Threat: Vote Inflation Alert

As results continued to build, Davido raised an alarm about a new alleged manipulation tactic. “Osun people, their new plan now is to inflate number of void votes so they can declare the election inconclusive,” he posted. “Please shine your eyes at your polling units. Don’t loose guard o. We are close to victory and this is the most important part,” he wrote, according to Daily Post. He urged supporters to stay vigilant through the night and resist what he described as plans by Oyetola to scuttle the result.

By 5:51 p.m., a check of the IReV portal showed 1,695 of 3,763 polling units had been uploaded. Davido tracked the numbers publicly, earlier reporting 1,077 units uploaded and urging: “We are getting there, let’s keep pushing. Voters, demand that INEC staff upload your polling unit result sheets ASAP. #Imole All The Way.”

The Explosive Finale: A Direct Attack on Tinubu

The day’s most incendiary moment came as early results continued to favour Accord Party. Davido alleged that authorities were plotting to withdraw police and military personnel from Osun State — a move he framed as deliberate electoral sabotage at the highest level. In a post addressed directly to Nigeria’s president, he wrote: “Because we are winning. They want to withdraw the police and military! MR PRESIDENT TINUBU! UR KILLING DEMOCRACY.”

He followed with a second, shorter but equally cutting post tagging Tinubu’s official account directly: “U no try @officialABAT,” according to X.

The posts ignited fierce debate online. Supporters hailed Davido for speaking truth to power. Critics questioned why the superstar — who has largely stayed out of national political controversies — chose this particular moment to engage, with many noting that his activism appeared directly tied to his family’s political fortunes rather than broader democratic principles.

The election was contested by 15 political parties and marred by reports of vote-buying, intimidation and electoral violence in several areas, even as voting proceeded successfully in many parts of the state, according to Daily Post. Full collation by INEC was still ongoing at the time of publication, with the final result yet to be declared.