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By Oscar Okhifo
As political activities ahead of the 2027 general elections gather momentum, former National Security Director of the Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria (PFN), Apostle Eugene Ogu, has urged Nigerian youths to shun electoral violence, vote according to their conscience and defend their ballots, citing Afrobeat star David Adeleke, popularly known as Davido, as an example.
Ogu said Davido’s involvement in the August 15 Osun State governorship election demonstrated that young Nigerians could deploy their influence and visibility to promote peaceful participation and protect the integrity of the electoral process.
Speaking in Port Harcourt on Thursday, while reacting to the outcome of the Osun election, the cleric said the role played by Davido before and during the poll should serve as a lesson to Nigerian youths who, according to him, must stop allowing politicians to use them as instruments of violence during elections.
The cleric said young Nigerians should move beyond social media debates and become actively involved in the electoral process by voting, monitoring the process and ensuring that their votes count.
Ogu expressed concern, however, over the possibility of the singer being victimised because of his vocal support for his uncle, Governor Ademola Adeleke, who was declared winner of the contest.
He particularly questioned reports that Senate President Godswill Akpabio and billionaire businessman Aliko Dangote contacted the music star and allegedly asked him to delete a social media post during the election.
Ogu said the alleged calls were significant because of the influence and political weight of the personalities involved, warning that nothing should happen to the musician or any other young Nigerian who chooses to participate actively in the democratic process.
He also called for greater scrutiny of the alleged involvement of powerful individuals in the Osun election.
According to him, the resilience of Osun voters and Davido’s public engagement had demonstrated that Nigerian youths could no longer afford to remain passive in the nation’s electoral affairs.
“Nigeria’s neck is about to be freed from the knees of corrupt political leaders in the 2027 general elections. At this point, I must warn that nothing happens to Davido and other celebrities who may emerge heroes in Nigeria in 2027,” he said.
Ogu lamented the level of hardship in the country, comparing Nigeria’s current situation to biblical Samaria, where severe hunger drove people to desperate acts.
He alleged that economic hardship had contributed to the rise in kidnapping, banditry, armed robbery and prostitution, while also expressing concern over the pressures confronting young people in universities and households.
He said the situation required Nigerians, particularly youths, to use the power of their votes to demand accountability and change rather than resorting to violence or allowing politicians to manipulate them.
He consequently charged young Nigerians to turn out massively in 2027, vote according to their conscience, protect their ballots and remain vigilant through the collation process until the final results are declared.
“It was so embarrassing to see the Senate President, who is supposed to be the custodian of the law, with about 19 APC governors and political thugs invade Osun with billions to pervert the election result against the electoral law. But they were frustrated by the resilience of Osun people and Davido. They are my heroes,” he said.
He alleged that the use of food items, cash and other inducements to influence voters had undermined the dignity of Nigerians and contributed to the continued emergence of leaders who, in his view, had failed to address the country’s worsening socioeconomic conditions.
“But Osun people have given Nigerians a template and we must follow it through in 2027,” Ogu said.
The cleric said the lesson from Osun should resonate beyond the state, urging young Nigerians to reject the temptation to trade their votes or become willing tools in the hands of politicians seeking to manipulate the electoral process.
His appeal comes as political campaigns and mobilisation for the 2027 elections increasingly dominate the national conversation, with political parties and aspirants already reaching out to voters across the country.
The message also echoes the longstanding admonition by veteran Nigerian musician Innocent Idibia, popularly known as Tuface, that Nigerians should “Vote, don’t fight.”
That message of political education, peace and vigilance was similarly projected by Davido before and during the Osun election, where the music star used his public profile and social media platforms to encourage participation and draw attention to the electoral process.
Ogu urged Nigerian youths to build on such examples in 2027, stressing that young people should not allow politicians to recruit them as thugs and other agents of violence and manipulations while those seeking political power remain protected.
He further urged Nigerians not to allow ethnicity or religion to determine their political choices, insisting that voters should unite across religious and ethnic divides and support candidates based on competence, character and capacity to deliver good governance.
He said Nigerian youths must recognise that their greatest political power lies not in fighting for politicians but in voting peacefully, monitoring the electoral process and ensuring that their mandate is protected from the polling unit to the final declaration of results.