Afrobeats star David Adeleke, popularly known as Davido, has appealed to United States President Donald Trump and the international community to closely monitor the Saturday, August 15, 2026 governorship election in Osun State.
Davido made the appeal on Tuesday, August 11, 2026, amid concerns over possible violence, intimidation and disruption of the electoral process ahead of the poll.
Addressing Trump directly in his statement, Davido said, “President Donald Trump, I am calling your attention to the situation in Osun State, Nigeria, as we approach the election.”
The singer said the prevailing political atmosphere had generated concerns about the safety of voters and the integrity of the electoral process.
“There are growing concerns about tension and the possibility of violence, intimidation, or disruption of the democratic process,” he said.
Davido urged the people of Osun State to be allowed to exercise their constitutional rights without fear, stressing that the election should be conducted peacefully and transparently.
“Osun people deserve to exercise their constitutional right to vote freely, peacefully, and without fear,” he said.
He further appealed to the United States and other members of the international community to pay close attention to the election and encourage relevant Nigerian authorities to protect voters and respect their ballots.
“I appeal to the United States and the international community to pay close attention to the election and encourage all relevant authorities to ensure that every voter is protected and every vote is respected,” Davido said.
The singer said his appeal was driven by a desire to prevent bloodshed and intimidation during the election, rather than to encourage confrontation among political supporters.
“We do not want bloodshed.”
“We do not want intimidation.”
“We want peace, transparency, and a free and fair election,” he said.
The development came just four days before the Independent National Electoral Commission’s scheduled governorship election in Osun State.
INEC lists Saturday, August 15, 2026, as the date for the Osun governorship election, while the commission has also opened processes for accredited observers and media organisations ahead of the poll.
The commission’s official election calendar confirms that the Osun governorship election is one of the major off-cycle elections preceding the 2027 general elections.
Davido’s intervention has attracted attention partly because of his direct political connection to the election.
The singer is the nephew of the incumbent governor, Ademola Adeleke, who is seeking another term in office, and Davido has publicly participated in activities supporting Adeleke’s re-election campaign.
His latest call therefore comes from a politically involved celebrity rather than an independent election observer, a distinction important to the context of his appeal.
His concern about the election process also predates Tuesday’s appeal to Trump.
In June 2026, Davido had warned against attempts to manipulate the outcome of the election and indicated that he intended to be present during the poll.
He subsequently escalated his concerns by directly appealing to the United States president and the wider international community to pay attention to developments in Osun.
The latest appeal has also drawn attention to the role international observers can play in elections, although Davido’s statement did not ask the United States to take control of the election.
Rather, he called for international attention and encouragement of Nigerian authorities to protect voters and ensure that votes cast by citizens are respected.
INEC already operates a formal accreditation process for election observer groups, with the commission specifically inviting organisations to apply to observe the Saturday, August 15 Osun governorship election.
The commission has also assured stakeholders of its commitment to conducting a credible election and urged political actors to comply with the established electoral timetable and regulatory requirements.
Davido’s statement comes against the backdrop of heightened political activity in Osun as candidates and their supporters intensify their final mobilisation ahead of Saturday’s poll.
The election is expected to determine whether the incumbent administration retains power or whether voters opt for a change in leadership.
Beyond the political contest, however, Davido’s appeal has placed voter safety and electoral credibility at the centre of renewed public attention.
The singer’s demand that “every voter is protected and every vote is respected” has also placed responsibility on security agencies, electoral officials, political parties and their supporters to ensure that the election is conducted without violence or intimidation.
With only days remaining before voting, the emphasis is now on whether all stakeholders will translate their public assurances into a peaceful electoral process where eligible voters can freely cast their ballots.
For Davido, the message is clear: “We want peace, transparency, and a free and fair election.”