Davido endorses PDP candidate for Edo governorship election

Barely five days to the 2024 Edo State governorship election, a popular Nigerian musician, David Adeleke, aka Davido, has endorsed Asue Ighodalo, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate for the poll.

On Sunday, September 15, 2024, the Afrobeats musician announced the support on Instagram Stories, urging young voters in Edo State to turn out on September 21 and vote for the PDP candidate.

The musician captioned a Nigerian newspaper cover of Ighodalo, "The next governor of my mother's homeland."

Though Davido is from Ede in Osun State, his mother is from Edo, adding a personal element to the endorsement that has sparked debate on social media among political experts and fans alike.

The timing of this support could not be more intentional, as the election is scheduled for less than a week on Saturday, September 21, 2024.

Davido's message comes just after his uncle, Osun State Governor Ademola Adeleke, arrived in Benin City, the state capital.

Adeleke was part of a group of PDP governors that attended a huge rally for Ighodalo, indicating the growing support for the PDP candidate among key political figures across the country.

Several recent polls, notably those conducted by BusinessDay and the African Polling Institute, showed Ighodalo well ahead of his rivals. 

Davido's endorsement followed other celebrities such as Banky W and his wife, actress Adesua Etomi, actress Etinosa, Nollywood actor and producer Charles Inojie, have publicly supported the PDP candidate, alongside influential business figures like Dr. Aloy Chife and former Nigerian Vice President Alhaji Atiku Abubakar. 

Former Governors Liyel Imoke and Donald Duke of Cross River State have also been vocal in their support, contributing to the momentum building around Ighodalo’s campaign.