Senior Special Assistant to President Bola Tinubu on Media, Temitope Ajayi, has claimed that Nigerian singer David Adeleke, popularly known as Davido, would not dare make some of the political statements he posts on social media if he were in countries such as Rwanda and Ethiopia.
Ajayi made the statement while appearing on the Naija Unfiltered Podcast, where he discussed Davido’s involvement in the political activities of his uncle, Osun State Governor Ademola Adeleke, particularly during the recent governorship election.
According to the presidential aide, Davido was not commenting on the election as a neutral observer because he actively campaigned for his uncle and was part of the campaign structure.
“So he was an interested party. So he wasn’t speaking or he wasn’t tweeting out of altruism. All his tweets, all his activities were partisan. He wanted his uncle to win,” Ajayi said.
He acknowledged that Nigeria’s democratic system guarantees freedom of expression but argued that some of Davido’s social media posts would attract legal consequences in other countries.
“It’s just that we’re in a democratic society where there’s freedom of speech, people are allowed to say whatever they want to say on social media,” he said.
Ajayi specifically cited Rwanda and Ethiopia, saying Davido would not make similar political claims there without facing possible consequences.
“He won’t dare all the things that he does on social media in Rwanda or in Ethiopia. In terms of politics? Yes, in terms of politics. Because you don’t make reckless claims that you don’t have evidence for,” he said.
The presidential aide also accused the singer of making allegations against the Senate President, President Tinubu and other government officials, warning that such statements could potentially incite public violence.
“And these things are capable of inciting the public into violence. You are making allegations against Senate President, making allegations against Honorable Faleke, making allegations against the President, tweeting all sorts of blather just because of politics and because of freedom that our democratic culture or democratic experiment has afforded us. It shouldn’t be abused,” Ajayi said.
He further alleged that Davido had repeatedly abused the freedom guaranteed by democracy.
“Davido has abused the right and freedom that democracy guarantees,” he added.
The interview also touched on poverty, the performance of the Tinubu administration and criticism of the President’s comments on hunger and poverty in Nigeria.
Ajayi defended Tinubu, arguing that poverty has existed for centuries, including in developed countries such as the United States, while stressing that governments must continue to introduce policies to address it.
“The poor will always be among us,” he said.
He added that Nigeria had made progress compared with previous decades but acknowledged that solving the country’s challenges was an ongoing responsibility.
“The job of a country is an unfinished business. So it’s like a relay, it’s a baton. You do your best; another person will come,” Ajayi said.
On questions surrounding Tinubu’s educational background, Ajayi argued that the Constitution does not require a president to disclose the primary and secondary schools attended before occupying office.
“You don’t have to be a genius to be a president. You just have to be a good manager and a good leader,” he said, while defending Tinubu’s leadership and ability to work with people around him.
Ajayi also addressed the controversy surrounding Cardinal John Onaiyekan, Archbishop Emeritus of the Catholic Archdiocese of Abuja, following criticism from members of the presidential media team over the cleric’s comments on insecurity and economic hardship.
Although he denied attacking the Cardinal or demanding an apology from him, Ajayi apologised for any impression that his comments had been disrespectful.
“Your Eminence, I never intended to be disrespectful. I was never disrespectful. My apologies. I was never disrespectful,” he said.
He maintained that his comments had been misconstrued by bloggers and influencers and insisted that he did not disrespect the Cardinal “in any shape, form, or manner.”
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