Reported by: Ijeoma G | Edited by: Oravbiere Osayomore Promise.
What began as a routine political exchange has erupted into one of the most blistering social media confrontations in recent Nigerian history, with human rights activist and African Action Congress presidential candidate Omoyele Sowore launching a devastating counterattack against Afrobeats superstar Davido, accusing the singer and his influential Adeleke family of treating the Osun State treasury like a "family jackpot" while simultaneously cosying up to President Bola Tinubu's administration.
The war of words was ignited on Saturday, August 15, 2026, as Osun State went to the polls in a fiercely contested governorship election. Sowore, in an interview, had launched a scathing attack on Governor Ademola Adeleke, Davido's uncle, describing him as "brainless" and saying he had "nothing upstairs," while also painting Osogbo, the state capital, as a "war zone" plagued by inadequate infrastructure. The governor, who was seeking re-election on the platform of the Accord Party, has long been a target of Sowore's criticism, but the activist's latest salvo struck a nerve with the singer.
Davido, never one to shy away from a fight, responded on his verified X account by calling Sowore an "Arindin," a Yoruba term used to describe someone considered foolish or unintelligent. The singer, who had been a vocal supporter of his uncle's re-election bid, also declared emphatically: "I can never support APC in my life!!!" He followed up with a now-deleted post stating: "No more supporting any presidential candidate @AAdeleke_01 make we dey our dey!!!" But it was his final jab – a blunt "Ur a useless man" directed at Sowore – that appeared to cross a line.
Sowore, however, was not deterred. In a blistering response posted on Sunday, August 16, 2026, the AAC presidential candidate accused Davido of political opportunism, pointing to the singer's documented meetings with President Tinubu and his association with the City Boy Movement, a political support group led by Seyi Tinubu that is mobilising for the President's 2027 re-election bid. "Now you know, @Davido. You guys thought you could have it both ways, opportunism and political hedging," Sowore wrote. "You want your family to keep controlling the Osun State purse while embracing the same monstrous Tinubu @officialabat establishment at the federal level."
Sowore's most devastating accusation, however, was reserved for the Adeleke family's alleged financial misconduct. "You guys must stop fooling around, stop treating the Osun State treasury like a family jackpot, and face the harsh reality that millions of Nigerians are living through every single day," he declared. The AAC candidate further accused the family of treating Osun as a "private estate" to finance their extravagant lifestyle, describing them as "oppressive, corrupt, incompetent, and entitled spoilt brats, feeding off the pain, suffering, and sorrow of Nigerians."
Sowore also took aim at Governor Adeleke's academic record and his political alignment with President Tinubu. "The real arindin is your uncle, @AAdeleke_01, who had to go back and obtain the equivalent of a GED after he had already served as a Nigerian Senator," Sowore wrote. "The real arindin is your uncle who chose @officialABAT as his presidential candidate, apparently hoping that imbecilic political loyalty would allow your family to continue treating Osun state as a private estate to finance your extravagant lifestyle."
The activist also claimed that Davido had blocked him on X, a move he interpreted as an admission that his criticism had struck a nerve. "I am pretty happy the message sank in very well, to the point that you had to block me here on @X," Sowore wrote. "You can't endorse a failure like Tinubu, @officialABAT, grin from ear to ear in meetings with him, power your circle with the so-called #cityboys, and then pretend not to understand the consequences of that political choice."
Davido's political journey has been a subject of intense scrutiny. In May 2025, he paid a surprise visit to President Tinubu at the Presidential Villa in Abuja, accompanied by associates including Ubi Franklin and Cubana Chief Priest. A month later, in June 2025, he accompanied his uncle, Governor Adeleke, and his father, businessman Chief Adedeji Adeleke, to meet President Tinubu at his residence in Ikoyi, Lagos. These meetings generated significant political interest at a time when there was speculation about Governor Adeleke's political future and a possible move to the APC.
The confrontation comes at a critical moment for the Adeleke family. Governor Ademola Adeleke was declared the winner of the Osun governorship election on Sunday, securing a second term with 511,067 votes against the APC candidate's 444,815 votes. The victory has solidified the family's grip on the state, but Sowore's accusations have cast a shadow over the celebration, raising uncomfortable questions about the intersection of celebrity, politics and public resources.
Sowore, who is positioning himself for the 2027 presidential election, ended his tirade with a clear warning: "The Nigerian people will not endure this forever." His message was unmistakable: the era of political dynasties treating state coffers as personal bank accounts is coming to an end. For Davido, the singer who has built a career on connecting with the masses, the accusation that he and his family are "feeding off the pain, suffering, and sorrow of Nigerians" is a damaging blow that could resonate far beyond the political arena.
As the dust settles on the Osun election, the Sowore-Davido clash has become a defining moment in Nigeria's political discourse, exposing the fault lines of celebrity influence, family dynasties and the growing appetite for accountability among ordinary Nigerians. The war of words may have started with a single insult, but it has evolved into a broader indictment of a political class that has long treated public office as a family inheritance. In the end, Sowore's question lingers: are the Adelekes governing for the people, or are they governing for themselves?
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