OSOGBO: Afrobeats singer David Adeleke, popularly known as Davido, has alleged that soldiers attempted to prevent him from entering Osun State as voters headed to polling units for Saturday’s governorship election.
Davido raised the alarm in a post on his verified X account early Saturday, saying he had been reliably informed that soldiers were trying to stop him from entering the state.
The singer, who is a nephew of incumbent Governor Ademola Adeleke, said he would not be deterred by the alleged attempt, stressing that Nigerian citizens have a constitutional right to freedom of movement.
His allegation comes amid heightened security across Osun State as authorities seek to prevent violence and electoral malpractice during the governorship poll.
The Nigeria Police Force had announced a restriction of movement across the state from midnight on Friday, August 14, until 6 p.m. on Saturday, August 15.
The restriction is part of measures introduced by security agencies to secure the election and maintain law and order. It affects vehicular and other forms of movement during the voting period.
Davido has been actively involved in his uncle’s re-election campaign under the Accord Party and has repeatedly expressed concern over the conduct of the election.
Governor Adeleke is seeking a second term and faces competition from All Progressives Congress candidate Bola Oyebamiji, African Democratic Congress candidate Najeem Salaam and other contenders.
The singer’s allegation has sparked reactions on social media, with some commentators suggesting that any attempt to restrict his movement could be connected to the general election-day movement restriction.
Others, however, questioned whether Davido was being specifically targeted by security personnel.
Former presidential media aide Bashir Ahmad dismissed Davido’s complaint as “dramatic”, arguing that the movement restriction had been publicly announced by security authorities as part of election security arrangements.
Ahmad maintained that the constitutional right to freedom of movement does not exempt individuals from complying with lawful security measures introduced to protect the electoral process.
However, there was no independent confirmation as of the latest reports that soldiers had been specifically ordered to prevent Davido from entering Osun State.
The allegation comes against the backdrop of heightened political tension surrounding the Osun governorship election, with security, voter safety and the credibility of the electoral process among the major concerns.
Thirteen candidates are contesting the election, although the contest has largely attracted attention around Governor Adeleke, APC candidate Oyebamiji and ADC candidate Salaam.
Ahead of the poll, Davido had urged Nigerian authorities and the international community to closely monitor the election, citing concerns about possible violence and intimidation.
With voting underway across Osun, attention remains focused on the conduct of the election, the response of security agencies and whether Davido’s reported movement difficulties will develop into a broader political controversy.
