David Adeleke, better known across the globe as Davido, is one of Africa’s biggest music exports. His accomplishments in the entertainment industry are beyond dispute. He has earned his place among the continent’s cultural icons, filling stadiums, topping international charts and flying Nigeria’s flag with pride. As a citizen, he is also entitled to participate in politics, campaign for candidates of his choice and speak on issues that concern him. His support for Governor Ademola Adeleke, his uncle, in the forthcoming Osun State governorship election is therefore neither surprising nor objectionable. To some people, blood is thicker than politics. Family loyalty naturally demands that he stand with his uncle, just as countless Nigerians have done for their relatives in public life.
What is surprising, however, is the direction of his latest intervention. At a press conference in Osogbo on Wednesday, Davido appealed to Governor Hope Uzodimma of Imo State, the Chairman of the APC National Campaign Council for the Osun governorship election, not to turn Osun State into a battlefield. He said he had heard rumours suggesting there were moves to interfere with the electoral process but immediately admitted that he was not presenting those rumours as facts. That admission should have settled the matter.
If the allegations were admittedly unverified, why make Governor Uzodimma the centrepiece of a public appeal? Why elevate rumours to national headlines without offering evidence to support them? Public figures wield enormous influence. Their words shape public perception, especially in an election season already charged with emotion. Such influence ought to be exercised with caution. Davido did not do that. Democracy is strengthened by facts, not speculation. Even more curious is that nothing Governor Uzodimma has said since assuming the responsibility of leading the APC National Campaign Council remotely supports the narrative of preparing Osun for conflict.
Following the inauguration of the campaign council, Governor Uzodimma declared that the APC was determined to win the election through a campaign anchored on hope, development, prosperity and progressive governance. He spoke of rekindling hope, stimulating economic growth, restoring prosperity, improving the welfare of the people and presenting a compelling alternative capable of earning the confidence of Osun voters. Those are the familiar objectives of every political campaign. There was no declaration of hostility. There was no threat against political opponents. There was no suggestion that democracy should be subverted. There was certainly no call to transform Osun into a battlefield.
Campaign managers are appointed to organise campaigns, mobilise party members, articulate policy alternatives and persuade voters. That is precisely what Governor Uzodimma has committed himself to doing. The governor of Osun State will be elected by the people of Osun State, and no matter how influential anyone is, he cannot replace the ballot. Political parties may canvass for votes with every legitimate resource available to them, but in the end, sovereignty resides with the electorate. That is why Davido’s appeal is fundamentally misplaced. Rather than directing public attention towards Governor Uzodimma, perhaps greater energy should have been devoted to convincing Osun voters why Governor Ademola Adeleke deserves another mandate. Elections are won by persuasion, not by pre-emptive accusations against opponents.
Ironically, the timing of Davido’s press conference raises another question. Almost simultaneously, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) announced that it had placed a Post No Debit order on certain Osun State Government accounts as part of an ongoing investigation. According to the anti-graft agency, it has been investigating the alleged handling of about N11 billion in Ecology Funds, Intervention Funds and Federal Account Allocation Committee (FAAC) allocations since March 2026. The Commission further stated that it froze the accounts after observing substantial transfers of public funds into several corporate entities and insisted that the action was taken to preserve public funds, not to influence the governorship election. Beyond the EFCC exposure of alleged corruption, there are allegations of one person collecting 962 salaries and another collecting salary for over 5,000 people every month in Osun State. There is also the allegation that N1billion is unaccounted for in payment of salaries every month. These allegations do not bother Davido.
Nigeria is a democracy where the rule of law reigns. Under the rule of law, allegations do not amount to guilt. Every government and every public official is entitled to the constitutional presumption of innocence until proven otherwise by a competent court. Yet, public accountability equally demands that allegations involving public funds receive transparent explanations. Curiously, Davido had nothing to say about them. He described his uncle as “a man of integrity.” That is his personal opinion and one he is entitled to hold. But integrity is not merely proclaimed; it is demonstrated. When questions arise concerning the management of public resources, citizens naturally expect openness, accountability and a willingness to address legitimate concerns, nothing hiding under microphones to proclaim integrity and accuse another man.
Many expected Davido to deploy his enormous influence to explain why the allegations lacked merit or why Nigerians should continue to trust his uncle’s administration despite the ongoing investigation. Instead, the allegations were left untouched while attention shifted to speculative fears concerning Governor Uzodimma’s legitimate political activities. Truly, politics often reveals what speeches attempt to conceal. When a campaign begins to focus more on its opponent than on its own record, observers naturally ask whether confidence is beginning to diminish.
That brings us to one of the most profound metaphors in Scripture: Ichabod. The story is found in 1 Samuel 4. Israel suffered a humiliating military defeat. Worse still, the Ark of the Covenant – the sacred symbol of God’s presence among His people – was captured by the Philistines. Upon hearing the devastating news, the wife of Phinehas gave birth to a son and named him Ichabod, declaring, “The glory has departed from Israel.” The name literally means, “Where is the glory?” or “The glory has departed.” It was not just a name. It was a verdict, symbolizing the tragic departure of honour, confidence and divine favour from a nation that had become complacent.
The political lesson is compelling. Every administration begins with goodwill. Every governor enters office amidst hope and public expectation. But goodwill is not permanent. It must be sustained through performance, accountability and the confidence of the governed. When political communication gradually shifts from showcasing achievements to magnifying opponents; when rumours receive greater attention than records; when fear becomes a campaign strategy rather than persuasion, questions naturally arise about the state of public confidence.
That is the metaphor of Ichabod, serving as a reminder that political glory, like every other form of public trust, is neither inherited nor guaranteed. It must be continually earned. Ultimately, Governor Hope Uzodimma is not on the ballot in Osun. Governor Ademola Adeleke is. The APC National Campaign Council is not asking Osun people to surrender their democratic rights. It is asking them to exercise them and vote for its candidate. The umpire in this election remains the Independent National Electoral Commission. The judges remain the people. The battlefield is not the street; it is the polling unit and the ballot box and the conscience of every eligible voter. And if Davido sincerely desires peace, his appeal should go to the Osun people.
As the election date draws nearer, the issues before the electorate should be: Who has governed better? Who presents the stronger vision? Who inspires greater confidence? Who deserves another opportunity? Those are the questions that should dominate public discourse, not rumours that even those repeating them concede are unverified.
Governor Hope Uzodimma has publicly committed himself to an issue-based campaign focused on development, prosperity and progressive governance. He deserves to be judged by those public declarations rather than by speculation. The rest belongs to the people of Osun, not a celebrity. And on election day, the people alone will speak. And when they do, democracy – not conjecture and press conference- will have the final word.
