A video showing men threatening Osun State Governor Ademola Adeleke and his cousin, musician Davido, has drawn widespread outrage as voters across Osun State head to polling units for Saturday’s governorship election.
The clip, which circulated widely before voting began, shows men warning that Adeleke “will learn the hard way.” The video also targets Davido, who is a prominent figure linked to the Adeleke family and Osun State politics.
Many who viewed the footage identified the men in the clip as aides or supporters of Edo State Governor Monday Okpebholo. The identification has not been confirmed by security agencies, and no official response from those agencies had been issued as of the time voters began going to the polls.
Human rights lawyer Chidi Anselm Odinkalu labeled the men in the video agents of violence. Odinkalu stated they were imported into Osun State with the intent to intimidate residents ahead of the governorship election, which holds Saturday.
Adeleke faces challengers in Saturday’s election, including Bola Oyebamiji. The contest has attracted national attention, with the threatening video adding a significant security dimension to what was already a closely watched and competitive electoral contest in the southwestern state.
Davido, responding to rising concerns over pre-election clashes in the state, urged calm. The musician and his family have a direct interest in the outcome, given their close ties to the incumbent governor, who is Davido’s uncle.
Odinkalu’s characterization of the men as imported agents drew significant reaction from observers of the electoral process. His assessment placed responsibility on external actors for what he described as deliberate intimidation of Osun residents before the vote.
The video showed specific verbal threats directed at Adeleke, with the men in the clip using language suggesting personal consequences for the governor. The footage also named Davido directly, escalating concerns about the safety of the governor and his associates on election day.
Security agencies had not responded publicly to the video or to Odinkalu’s characterization of the men as of the time the polls opened Saturday. The absence of an official statement drew further attention from those who viewed the clip and followed the pre-election developments.
Governor Okpebholo of Edo State has not been directly quoted in connection with the video. However, the identification of the men in the footage as his aides or supporters drew his name into the controversy surrounding Saturday’s Osun governorship election.
Davido’s call for calm came as reports of pre-election clashes circulated. The musician did not specify the nature of those clashes in his appeal, but his public statement indicated awareness of tensions building in Osun State before voting commenced Saturday.
Oyebamiji represents one of the challengers Adeleke faces in Saturday’s contest. The election proceeds against a backdrop of the threat video controversy, with Odinkalu’s remarks framing the situation as one involving deliberate efforts to destabilize the electoral environment in Osun.
The clip attracted outrage from those who viewed it, with many pointing to the identification of the men as associates of Okpebholo as a key concern. Odinkalu’s public labeling of the men amplified the reaction to the footage before polls opened.
Voters in Osun State proceeded to the polls Saturday despite the circulation of the threat video and reports of pre-election clashes. Adeleke, as the incumbent governor seeking to retain his position, is among those whose political fate rests on the outcome of the vote being conducted Saturday.
Security agencies, as of the time of this report, had issued no public statement on the video, the men identified in it, or Odinkalu’s claims that they were imported agents of violence. The election in Osun State, featuring Adeleke against challengers including Oyebamiji, continued Saturday as authorities remained publicly silent on the threats video controversy.
