Afrobeats superstar Davido has declared that he could win a presidential election in Nigeria but has no intention of entering politics under the country's current electoral system, which he described as corrupt and lacking transparency. The singer made the comments during a livestream with content creator Carter Efe, where he was asked whether he would like to govern a state.
"Nigeria wey dem dey write result? I no get time for all those ones," he replied, using Nigerian Pidgin to dismiss the current electoral process.
Davido's Conditions for Entering Politics
He elaborated, saying he would only consider running for office if Nigeria's elections became transparent and credible, adding that anyone who attempted to cheat him out of a victory would face serious consequences.
"Let me just focus on my music until there is transparency, then I can go ahead and contest for elective positions. Nobody can beat me in any election, never. In a free and fair election, I can win the presidential election in Nigeria," he said.
The singer's comments come amid growing public frustration over electoral integrity in Africa's most populous nation, where past elections have been marred by allegations of vote rigging and manipulation.
Osun Governorship Election as a Litmus Test
He added that he was watching the upcoming Osun State gubernatorial election closely as a personal measure of where Nigeria's electoral process currently stands.
The reference to Osun is not coincidental. Davido's uncle, Ademola Adeleke, is the incumbent governor of the state and is currently fighting one of the most closely watched reelection battles in recent Nigerian political history.
Adeleke, popularly known as the Dancing Governor, is seeking a second term on the platform of the Accord Party after a dramatic exit from the Peoples Democratic Party. The August 15 election pits him against Munirudeen Bola Oyebamiji of the All Progressives Congress, a candidate backed by significant federal support and presidential influence from Abuja.
Challenges Facing Governor Adeleke
The governor faces mounting headwinds, including internal party defections, a resurgent APC, and questions about his administration's handling of local government funds, which were withheld for a period and crippled local operations across the state.
Political analysts have described his path to a second term as difficult but not impossible, with his grassroots appeal and incumbency advantage still counted as factors in his favour.
For Davido, whose family name carries weight in Osun politics, the outcome of the election will likely inform whether he continues to view Nigeria's electoral system as one worth engaging with at all.
