Osun Poll Drama: “I’m Not A Voter, You’re My Son” — Uzodimma Fires Back At Davido

Imo State Governor, Hope Uzodimma, has responded to Afrobeats star David Adeleke, popularly known as Davido, over the singer’s appeal for a peaceful governorship election in Osun State.

Uzodimma said Davido remains his “son” but stressed that he is not a registered voter in Osun State and is only participating in the election as an All Progressives Congress (APC) leader.

The governor made the clarification through his Chief Press Secretary and Special Adviser on Media, Oguwike Nwachuku, who also distanced him from comments recently attributed to Ambrose Nwogwugwu describing Davido’s appeal as “emotional blackmail.”

According to Nwachuku, Uzodimma neither authorised Nwogwugwu nor anyone else to respond to Davido on his behalf, urging the public to disregard the comments.

Davido had appealed to Uzodimma, whom he referred to as his “daddy from Imo State,” to use his influence to promote peace and ensure that Osun residents were allowed to freely choose their preferred candidate in the August 15 governorship election.

The singer, whose wife, Chioma, is from Imo State, said he made the appeal amid reports of possible interference in the election, while emphasising that he was not presenting the claims as established facts.

‘Davido Remains My Son’

Reacting to the appeal, Uzodimma described Davido as his son and explained that his presence in Osun was strictly connected to his responsibilities within the APC.

The governor is the Chairman of the Progressive Governors’ Forum and also heads the APC Osun State Governorship Campaign Council.

He said his role in the election was to mobilise support for the APC candidate, Munirudeen Bola Oyebamiji, ahead of the August 15 poll.

Uzodimma stressed that he would not be voting in the election because he is not an Osun elector.

He maintained that it was normal in a democratic system for political leaders to campaign outside their home states in support of candidates of their political parties.

The governor also rejected Nwogwugwu’s response to Davido, saying the remarks represented the individual’s personal opinion and did not reflect his position or that of the APC campaign council.

He therefore urged Davido, Osun residents and the general public to disregard the comments.

Uzodimma said the clarification was necessary to prevent Nwogwugwu’s remarks from being mistaken for his official position.

He reaffirmed the APC’s commitment to a peaceful, credible, free and fair election, insisting that there was nothing undemocratic about appealing to Osun residents to support the party’s candidate.

The governor further assured Davido and the people of Osun that his participation in the election would remain within the bounds of normal democratic political engagement.