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.