Osun Decides: Cubana Chief Priest, City Boy Movement Coordinator, Backs Adeleke’s Re-election Bid
Pascal Okechukwu, widely known by his popular name Cubana Chief Priest and serving as the Imo State coordinator of the City Boy Movement, publicly declared his support for Osun State Governor Ademola Adeleke as the incumbent sought re-election under the Accord Party during the state’s closely watched governorship election. The businessman made his position known through a post shared on his verified social media handle, where he expressed solidarity with the governor’s re-election campaign in a message that combined personal warmth with political endorsement.
In the post, Chief Priest shared a video showing himself alongside popular Afrobeats artiste Davido, who happens to be Governor Adeleke’s nephew and had been actively campaigning on his uncle’s behalf throughout the election period. Addressing the singer directly in the post, Chief Priest wished him success in the campaign, writing a message expressing that although they were physically away in the United Kingdom, their thoughts remained focused on developments in Osun State. He further expressed optimism that the overall outcome of the process would ultimately turn out favourably.
Davido’s involvement in his uncle’s campaign had been a notable feature of the election build-up, with the artiste making multiple appearances across the state to rally support and encourage voter turnout ahead of the governorship poll. His presence added a layer of celebrity engagement to the contest, drawing additional public attention to the race between Governor Adeleke and his closest challenger from the All Progressives Congress. Chief Priest’s endorsement, coming from a figure with substantial social media influence and public recognition, added to the wave of celebrity and public figure support that characterized the final stretch of campaigning before voters went to the polls.
The endorsement emerged against the backdrop of an election that recorded significant voter turnout across various local government areas, alongside reports of technical challenges affecting the use of Bimodal Voter Accreditation System machines at several polling units. These technical difficulties had prompted concern from various stakeholders monitoring the process, including calls from party agents and observers for corrective measures to ensure that the voting exercise proceeded smoothly and that all eligible voters were able to exercise their franchise without unnecessary obstruction.
Interestingly, the City Boy Movement itself, through its coordinator Bashir Ahmad, had publicly expressed confidence that the All Progressives Congress would emerge victorious in the keenly contested election, describing the race as a very close contest that would likely produce a narrower margin than many observers anticipated. This divergence in public positioning within figures associated with the movement highlighted the broader complexity of political loyalties and personal relationships that often intersect with formal party structures during high-stakes state elections in Nigeria.
Governor Adeleke ultimately secured re-election, polling significantly more votes than his closest rival from the All Progressives Congress, in a contest that drew considerable national attention due to its implications for political alignments ahead of the 2027 general election. The wave of endorsements from public figures across different backgrounds, including business personalities and entertainment industry figures, reflected the broader cultural and social dimensions that increasingly accompany major political contests in Nigeria today, extending campaign influence beyond conventional party structures and into wider public discourse.
About the Author
