Ahead of Saturday`s highly anticipated Osun State governorship election, a prominent legal practitioner and author, Timothy Tugbiyele, has strongly urged Afrobeats superstar David Adeleke, popularly known as Davido, to tender an unreserved apology to Edo State Governor, Monday Okpebholo.

The controversy stems from a trending video on Facebook where Tugbiyele criticized the singer for posting Governor Okpebholo’s alleged West African Examinations Council (WAEC) certificate on his Instagram Story. Davido’s post was a direct retaliation after Okpebholo openly mocked his uncle, Osun State Governor Ademola Adeleke, for his frequent dancing during a political campaign for the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate, Bola Oyebamiji (AMBO).

The Genesis of the ClashDuring the APC campaign rally, Governor Okpebholo took a swipe at Adeleke’s leadership style, stating: "Before somebody signs paper, he will dance. Are you not tired? For four years, this man has been dancing. Before he takes breakfast, before he drinks tea, he will dance."

In defense of his uncle, Davido shared the Edo governor’s alleged academic results without a caption.

Reacting to the online exchange, Tugbiyele argued that Davido crossed the line by engaging a sitting governor directly. He emphasized that proper institutional channels should have been used instead of a social media call-out.

"Governor Adeleke would have replied his contemporary governor, or caused one of his workers, maybe a commissioner of information or a special assistant, to reply. Not Davido," the lawyer remarked. "David Adeleke and the governor of the state are not in the same social class. They are not of the same status."

While acknowledging that the alleged results were unimpressive, Tugbiyele insisted that a person`s past academic struggles do not define their ultimate success, sharing his personal experience of overcoming poor grades through his father’s encouragement.

Describing Davido as a "properly well-brought-up Yoruba boy," the lawyer appealed to the singer`s cultural background, citing past photographs of the musician prostrating before elders as a sign of humility.

"I think what Davido did is disrespectful and I will plead with him, he should exercise some humility and apologise. When you are fighting below the belt, when you are insulting, when you disrespect elders, that is not fair in politics," Tugbiyele concluded.