Davido appealed to the United States and the wider international community to monitor the poll closely and urge Nigerian authorities to protect voters and respect every ballot. “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. We do not want bloodshed. We do not want intimidation. We want peace, transparency, and a free and fair election,” he added, tagging Trump’s official account.
The appeal comes four days before voting day in a contest featuring 14 candidates, with the main contenders being Governor Adeleke of the Accord Party, All Progressives Congress candidate Munirudeen Bola Oyebamiji and African Democratic Congress candidate Najeem Salaam. Davido, who holds dual Nigerian and American citizenship after being born in Atlanta, Georgia, has repeatedly stressed the need for transparency in the process. Days earlier, during a livestream, he had indicated he would escalate concerns to Trump and even consider taking them to the White House if he believed the election was compromised.
Facing criticism online for involving a foreign leader in a Nigerian state election, Davido defended the move by pointing to his dual citizenship. “He’s my president too i get dual citizenship..any problem?” he replied to one user who questioned the appeal while sharing a photo of the singer with Nigerian President Bola Tinubu. In another response, he asked, “So I can’t tweet my president again?”
The call arrives against a backdrop of documented pre-election violence in Osun State. A recent assessment by the Kimpact Development Initiative recorded 73 election-related violent incidents resulting in 29 deaths, with Osogbo identified as a major hotspot. Amnesty International Nigeria has also warned of escalating violence, intimidation, arrests of state officials and alleged plans to influence the outcome, noting at least 29 people killed in 73 incidents and highlighting areas including Osogbo, Ede, Ife, Oriade, Ijebu-Ijesha, Ilobu and Ikire as sites of concern. The organisation urged authorities to investigate incidents, ensure neutrality by security agencies and protect the right of residents to vote freely.
The Independent National Electoral Commission has affirmed readiness for the poll, which involves more than 2.3 million registered voters across 3,763 polling units. Political parties earlier signed a peace accord, and security arrangements are in place, though civil society groups continue to call for stronger preventive measures in identified high-risk areas. No public response from President Trump or the White House to Davido’s appeal has been confirmed.
Davido’s intervention has drawn significant attention on social media, reflecting both support for greater international scrutiny of the election and debate over the role of celebrities and foreign powers in domestic Nigerian politics. As the state prepares for Saturday’s vote, stakeholders across the board have reiterated calls for peace, transparency and the protection of voters’ rights.
