Afrobeats star David Adeleke, popularly known as Davido, and former presidential aide Bashir Ahmad have engaged in a heated exchange on X over the ongoing political tension surrounding the August 15 Osun State governorship election.
Drivetvnews gathered that the disagreement began after Davido reacted to a post by presidential spokesperson Bayo Onanuga concerning President Bola Tinubu’s intervention in the controversy surrounding the freezing of an Osun State Government account by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission.
Onanuga had announced that Tinubu spoke with Governor Ademola Adeleke and informed him that he had directed the EFCC to lift the restriction placed on the state government’s account.
Davido, who is a nephew of the governor and has publicly supported Adeleke’s re-election bid, responded that he witnessed the phone conversation and described the development as historic.
Ahmad, a former Special Assistant on Digital Communications to ex-President Muhammadu Buhari and an APC member, responded by warning Davido that he might return to X to complain if the August 15 election did not produce his preferred outcome.
The exchange quickly escalated, with both men shifting from the account controversy to politics, electoral credibility and their respective records.
Davido questioned the possibility of electoral manipulation and referenced Ahmad’s performance in the 2022 APC primary for the Gaya/Ajingi/Albasu Federal Constituency in Kano State, where Ahmad reportedly received 16 votes against the eventual winner’s 106.
Ahmad responded by turning the discussion toward Davido’s Grammy record, noting that the singer had received five nominations without winning the award.
He also accused Davido of raising allegations of rigging before voting had even taken place, arguing that politicians who lack strong grassroots structures often make such claims ahead of elections.
Ahmad maintained that he expected Osun voters to support the APC candidate in the August 15 election.
Davido rejected the attempt to measure his career solely by Grammy success, pointing instead to his sold-out concerts, streaming numbers and international influence.
The singer also criticised Ahmad’s political record, arguing that government connections had not translated into sufficient electoral support for him in his constituency.
Davido further said that both men had different measures of success and that he would continue to inspire young people through his music and career.
The social media dispute continued when Ahmad posted an AI-generated image depicting Davido holding a Grammy award, accompanied by a congratulatory message.
He later posted an image of South African singer Tyla holding her Grammy, further mocking Davido over the award issue. The post generated mixed reactions, with some social media users criticising Ahmad for bringing a South African artiste into the dispute.
The confrontation comes amid heightened political activity ahead of the Osun governorship election, in which Davido has openly backed his uncle, Governor Adeleke.
The controversy also followed the EFCC’s restriction of an Osun State Government account domiciled with First Bank.
The anti-graft agency reportedly linked the action to suspicious movement of public funds amid an investigation into alleged financial irregularities involving billions of naira in Ecology Funds, Intervention Funds and FAAC allocations.
President Tinubu subsequently directed the EFCC to lift the restriction, saying the timing of the action, coming shortly before the governorship election, could create the impression that a federal agency was being used to influence the poll.
The President reportedly described the situation as embarrassing, after which Onanuga announced that Tinubu had spoken directly with Adeleke about the decision.
The online confrontation between Davido and Ahmad has added another dimension to the increasingly intense political debate surrounding the August 15 Osun governorship election.
