Davido Accuses Tinubu of Killing Democracy Over Alleged Osun Security Withdrawal
Osogbo / Lagos – August 15, 2026 — Nigerian Afrobeats superstar David Adeleke, popularly known as Davido, has launched a blistering attack on President Bola Tinubu, accusing him of “killing democracy” over an alleged plan to withdraw police and military personnel from parts of Osun State during Saturday’s governorship election.
In a post on X on Saturday afternoon, the singer wrote: “Because we are winning. They want to withdraw the police and military! MR PRESIDENT TINUBU! UR KILLING DEMOCRACY.”
Davido, a nephew of incumbent Governor Ademola Adeleke, has been one of the most vocal supporters of his uncle’s re-election bid on the Accord Party platform.
Adeleke is facing Bola Oyebamiji of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and other candidates in the off-cycle poll.
Context of Heightened Tensions
The accusation comes amid a tightly contested election marked by pre-poll controversies, including reports of violence, alleged voter intimidation, and technical issues with the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS).
Davido has used his massive social media platform throughout the process to call for transparency, urge the use of BVAS front cameras when devices malfunction, demand immediate result uploads to INEC’s IReV portal, and even appeal to U.S. President Donald Trump to monitor the election.
Earlier on election day, he also claimed soldiers were trying to prevent him from entering Osun State, though the Nigeria Police had announced a standard restriction of movement across the state from midnight Friday until 6 p.m. Saturday as part of security arrangements that included the deployment of thousands of officers.
Unverified Claim Draws Mixed Reactions
No independent evidence has been presented to confirm that police or military personnel were being withdrawn specifically because of the election’s direction.
Officials have not publicly responded to the specific allegation at the time of reporting.
The post, however, quickly gained significant traction and intensified online debate about the role of federal security agencies in state elections.
As results began filtering in, early collation figures showed Adeleke holding a lead.
Provisional tallies from hundreds of wards put the Accord Party candidate ahead of Oyebamiji, though full official declaration by INEC was still pending as collation continued across the state’s 30 local government areas.
Broader Stakes for Nigeria’s Democracy
Davido’s intervention reflects the high political temperature surrounding the Osun contest.
The singer has repeatedly framed the election as a test of whether the people’s will would be respected, warning against any attempt to undermine the process.
Supporters of the governor have hailed his activism as protective of democracy, while critics argue that celebrity involvement risks heightening tensions rather than calming them.
The Independent National Electoral Commission, security agencies and political parties have all publicly committed to a peaceful and credible process.
Stakeholders continue to watch the remaining stages of collation closely, with calls for calm and respect for the outcome growing louder as results solidify.
Whether Davido’s latest charge leads to any official clarification or investigation remains to be seen. What is clear is that the Afrobeats star has once again thrust himself — and the Osun election — into the national and international spotlight.
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