President Bola Tinubu’s Senior Special Assistant on Media, Temitope Ajayi, has stirred controversy after claiming that Nigerian music star David Adeleke, popularly known as Davido, would have been arrested in countries such as Rwanda and Ethiopia over some of his political statements on social media.
Ajayi made the claim during an appearance on the Naija Unfiltered Podcast, monitored by ChroniclesReporters on Wednesday, while discussing Davido’s involvement in the political activities of his uncle, Osun State Governor Ademola Adeleke.
The presidential aide argued that Davido’s political interventions before and during the recent Osun governorship election could not be regarded as neutral commentary because the singer openly campaigned for his uncle and was involved in the campaign structure.
“So he was an interested party. So he wasn’t speaking or tweeting out of altruism. All his tweets, all his activities were partisan. He wanted his uncle to win,” Ajayi said.
Ajayi acknowledged that Nigeria’s democratic system guarantees freedom of expression, including the right of citizens to express political opinions on social media. However, he argued that the same statements would allegedly attract legal consequences in some 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.
The presidential aide went further, claiming that most of the political statements Davido makes online would not be tolerated in several countries.
“If 99% of what Davido says or tweets on social media, in many countries, he won’t dare it because he will be picked up – come and provide evidence,” Ajayi said.
When specifically asked whether Rwanda and Ethiopia were among the countries where Davido could face consequences, Ajayi answered in the affirmative.
“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.
Ajayi accused the singer of making serious allegations against senior political figures, including the President, Senate President and Hon. James Faleke, and warned that such statements could potentially inflame public sentiment.
“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,” he said.
He accused Davido of repeatedly crossing the line between exercising freedom of expression and abusing the liberties guaranteed by Nigeria’s democratic system.
“Davido has abused the right and freedom that democracy guarantees,” Ajayi declared.
The remarks come amid continuing debate over the role of celebrities and public figures in Nigerian politics, particularly the extent to which influential personalities should use their platforms to criticise government officials and participate openly in electoral campaigns.
The discussion also turned to Nigeria’s economic difficulties, with Ajayi defending the Tinubu administration against criticism over poverty, hunger and comments attributed to the President.
Ajayi argued that poverty was not unique to Nigeria and had existed across societies for centuries, including developed countries such as the United States.
“The poor will always be among us,” he said, while maintaining that governments still have a responsibility to formulate policies and programmes capable of reducing poverty and improving living conditions.
He said Nigeria had made progress when compared with previous decades but acknowledged that national development was a continuous process that could not be completed by one administration.
“The job of a country is an unfinished business,” Ajayi said. “So it’s like a relay, it’s a baton. You do your best; another person will come.”
The presidential aide also defended Tinubu over questions concerning the President’s educational background, arguing that the Constitution does not require a president to possess a particular level of academic qualification or to have attended specific primary and secondary schools.
Drawing a comparison with the United States presidential system, Ajayi argued that academic brilliance alone does not determine whether an individual can successfully lead a country.
“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.
Ajayi maintained that Tinubu had demonstrated an ability to assemble and deploy people around him in running the government, describing leadership as involving effective management as much as academic credentials.
The interview also revisited the recent controversy involving Cardinal John Onaiyekan, Archbishop Emeritus of the Catholic Archdiocese of Abuja, after the Catholic cleric publicly lamented insecurity and economic hardship in the country under the Tinubu administration.
Members of the presidential media team had faced criticism over their response to the Cardinal’s comments.
Ajayi denied attacking Onaiyekan or demanding that the respected cleric apologise, while using the interview to clarify his position and reject suggestions that he intended to disrespect him.
“Your Eminence, I never intended to be disrespectful. I was never disrespectful. My apologies. I was never disrespectful,” Ajayi said.
He maintained that his earlier comments had been misconstrued by bloggers and social media influencers and insisted that he did not disrespect the Cardinal “in any shape, form, or manner.”
The comments on Davido are likely to generate fresh debate over the limits of political expression in Nigeria, particularly where celebrity influence, electoral campaigning, allegations against public officials and the constitutional protection of free speech intersect.