Osun Election: Davido Alleges Soldiers Tried to Stop Him from Entering State

Afrobeats superstar David Adeleke, popularly known as Davido, has alleged that soldiers are attempting to prevent him from entering Osun State as voters head to the polls for Saturday’s governorship election. Davido, who is a nephew of incumbent Governor Ademola Adeleke, made the claim in a post on his verified X account early Saturday, insisting that no security personnel would stop him from accessing the state. “I’ve been reliably informed that soldiers are trying to prevent me from entering Osun tomorrow, this won’t happen, every citizen of Nigeria has the right to movement at any point of time,” he wrote. The singer did not disclose who gave him the information or identify the soldiers allegedly involved.

Davido’s allegation came hours after the Nigeria Police Force announced a restriction of movement across Osun State as part of security arrangements for the governorship election. According to the police, the restriction took effect from 12:00 midnight on Friday, August 14, and will remain in place until 6:00 p.m. on Saturday, August 15, 2026. The police also reiterated the ban on the participation of the Amotekun Corps and other non-state security groups in security operations for the election, warning that only security agencies recognised under the constitution are authorised to perform law-enforcement duties in connection with the election. Over 15,000 police personnel have been deployed across the state’s 30 local government areas, with a Deputy Inspector-General of Police coordinating the operation, while police helicopters and drones have also been deployed for aerial surveillance during the election. The Force Public Relations Officer had further disclosed that soldiers would seal roads leading into the state from midnight as part of measures to control movement.

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The singer’s claim generated significant reactions online, with some users arguing that security checks were expected because of the election-day lockdown, while others expressed concern that Davido could be facing a targeted restriction due to his prominent support for the incumbent governor. Reacting to Davido’s post, former presidential media aide Bashir Ahmad dismissed the allegation as “dramatic,” pointing to the publicly announced movement restrictions. “You are just dramatic, @davido. It has been widely announced by the security operators that movement in and around Osun will be restricted from 12 midnight today until 6 pm today due to the election and this is a standard security measure during elections anywhere not peculiar to Osun,” Ahmad wrote. Ahmad added: “So the right to freedom of movement does not mean ignoring lawful security measures put in place to ensure a peaceful and credible election.”

Some X users also questioned Davido’s awareness of the movement restrictions. One user, @OgbeniDipo, advised the singer to remain in Lagos to avoid being detained, stating: “You don’t know there is curfew on election day? You went to school nau.” The user added that security agents were enforcing the curfew at multiple locations including Ikire Junction, Gbongan bypass, Odeomu, and Owode Ede. Another X user, @Mz_Tosyn, also questioned Davido’s position, writing: “Him and his audience are not aware of curfew on Election Day or they are pretending not to.”

Davido has been one of the most visible supporters of his uncle, Governor Ademola Adeleke, who is seeking re-election under the Accord Party. The governor is facing leading challengers, including Bola Oyebamiji of the All Progressives Congress. Earlier in the week, Davido called on United States President Donald Trump and the international community to monitor the Osun election, expressing concern over reported cases of violence and intimidation. Davido later defended the appeal after some Nigerians questioned why he referred to Trump as his president, explaining that he holds both Nigerian and American citizenship. Davido’s involvement in Osun politics dates back to the 2022 governorship election, when he campaigned for Adeleke and mobilised young voters across the state. There was no immediate public statement from the military confirming Davido’s allegation that soldiers had been instructed to stop him from entering the state.

Davido Halts London Concert, Threatens to Walk Off Stage Over Fan’s Disrespect to Staff

Afrobeats superstar Davido briefly brought his “Oriadé Royal Night” concert at the O2 Forum Kentish Town in London to a standstill on Tuesday, August 11, 2026, after accusing a fan of disrespecting a member of his crew, warning that he would walk off the stage if the behaviour continued.

The Grammy-nominated artist, who was performing tracks from his newly released sixth studio album, Oriadé, abruptly stopped the music after spotting an incident involving his staff and an audience member. Reports suggest the confrontation may have involved crew members attempting to block fans from accessing areas around the stage that were off-limits to the audience. Addressing the fan directly from the stage, Davido said: “You’re not going to come to my show and disrespect my staff like that. These people have been working here and you can see them holding cameras.” He then issued a firm warning: “If I see you here one more time, I’m going to walk off the stage.” The singer reminded the audience that his team had worked tirelessly throughout the day to put the concert together and deserved appreciation, not disrespect. “These people have been working here all day. Don’t do that,” he added. The performance continued after the brief interruption.

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A video of the incident has since circulated widely on social media, drawing strong reactions from fans. Many praised the singer for defending his team, with some describing his reaction as “true leadership” and that of a boss who values and protects his staff. One fan commented: “Davido is right. Even if you paid for the show, you can’t because of that attitude disrespect his staff.” Another wrote: “This is called encouragement to the staff. I love it.” The exact nature of the alleged disrespect toward the staff member has not been independently confirmed, and it remains unclear whether the fan was eventually removed from the venue. However, Davido’s swift response has been widely applauded as a display of loyalty and respect for his crew.

The London show comes as Davido continues his international run following the release of Oriadé. He is also scheduled to headline the “Davido & Friends” concert at Crystal Palace Bowl in London on Friday, August 14. The album, which has already garnered millions of streams across platforms, marks a significant milestone in the singer’s career, further cementing his status as one of Africa’s biggest musical exports.