Davido has taken his concerns about the upcoming Osun State governorship election beyond Nigerian social media, addressing an open letter directly to United States President Donald Trump and asking him and the international community to pay attention to the August 15 election.
The Afrobeats star, whose real name is David Adeleke, said he was concerned about the possibility of violence, intimidation and disruption of the electoral process. He called for Osun voters to be able to exercise their constitutional rights peacefully and urged relevant authorities to ensure that votes are protected and respected.
“We do not want bloodshed. We do not want intimidation. We want peace, transparency, and a free and fair election,” Davido wrote while tagging Trump.
The letter marks a notable escalation from Davido’s earlier comments about the election. He had previously said he would involve Trump if he believed something was going wrong. Now, with the election only days away, he has put that warning into a formal public appeal.
Davido Had Already Warned He Would Involve Trump
Davido first spoke about taking the Osun election to Trump during a livestream with content creator Carter Efe.
During the conversation, he said he was watching the election closely and would tag Trump and seek international attention if he believed the process was compromised.
“I’ll tag Trump, I’ll call Trump, everybody. If they still don’t see anything, I’ll go in front of the White House and say, ‘Help us,’” he said.
At the time, the comment attracted attention partly because of how unusual the proposed escalation was. Nigeria’s elections are ordinarily matters for Nigerian electoral and judicial institutions, making the idea of appealing directly to a sitting US president an obvious source of debate.
Davido’s latest letter shows that the earlier remark was not entirely rhetorical. He has now followed through by publicly asking Trump and the international community to watch the election.
Why Davido Is Personally Invested in the Osun Election
Davido is hardly a detached observer of Osun politics.
His uncle, Ademola Adeleke, is the incumbent governor and is seeking re-election on the platform of the Accord Party. The Independent National Electoral Commission’s final list names Adeleke among the 14 candidates contesting the August 15 poll, with APC candidate Bola Oyebamiji among his major challengers.
Davido has also become increasingly involved in Osun public affairs. In May, he was appointed chairman of the Osun Sports Trust Fund, describing the move as the beginning of his “political journey.”
That connection matters when interpreting his latest intervention. His concerns about the election are personal and political as well as public, given that the incumbent seeking another term is a member of his immediate family.
Governor Adeleke himself has also publicly addressed concerns about possible violence and electoral interference, calling on voters to participate freely and saying his administration was monitoring the pre-election environment.
Why Davido’s Appeal to Trump Has Sparked Debate
The decision to address Trump has divided Nigerians online.
Some have welcomed Davido’s call for greater international attention, particularly given his concerns about the safety of voters and the integrity of the election. Others have questioned why a Nigerian election should require an appeal to a foreign president in the first place.
Davido’s response has centred partly on his American citizenship. Born in Atlanta, Georgia, the singer has Nigerian and American citizenship, and he pointed to that connection when critics questioned his decision to tag Trump.
When one user challenged him, Davido responded, “So I can’t tweet my president again?” He later pointed to President Bola Tinubu as another president he could legitimately address, saying, “He’s my president too; I get dual citizenship. Any problem?”
His explanation has done little to end the argument, but it clarifies how he sees his position: as someone with ties to both countries who can speak to political figures in either one.
August 15 Will Put Davido’s Concerns to the Test
The Osun governorship election is scheduled for August 15, 2026, with 14 candidates competing for the governorship.
For Davido, the open letter is now the clearest expression yet of his concern about what happens on election day. Whether the international attention he is seeking follows is another matter.
Ultimately, the election itself will determine whether the fears he has raised translate into anything beyond a heated final week of campaigning. For now, Davido has made it clear that he wants Osun voters to be able to vote without fear and have their votes counted.
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