Israel Afeare, popularly known as Israel DMW and the logistics manager to Nigerian singer Davido, has declared support for former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, questioning Edo State Governor Monday Okpebholo’s promise to deliver 2.5 million votes for President Bola Tinubu in the 2027 general election.
Afeare, who is an indigene of Edo State, made his position known in an Instagram post on Friday, arguing that the governor’s vote target was unrealistic based on previous presidential election figures in the state.
He also expressed a preference for Northern Nigerian leadership and criticised what he described as excessive financial concentration in government contracting.
In the post, Afeare wrote, “It is always far better when a Northern Nigerian rules. N15 trillion contract to one person alone? I’m voting for Alhaji Atiku Abubakar.”
He also appealed to the Independent National Electoral Commission to ensure that Nigerians could freely choose their preferred candidates in the 2027 elections.
“INEC, should please allow Nigerians to freely choose whoever they want to govern them in January 2027. A good name is far better than money,” he wrote.
Israel DMW questions Edo vote target
Afeare specifically challenged Okpebholo’s repeated pledge to secure 2.5 million votes for Tinubu, arguing that the number of votes cast in previous elections did not support the target.
Speaking to The PUNCH, according to the source report, he maintained that even an increase in voter turnout would not guarantee that the ruling All Progressives Congress would receive all the votes.
“I stand by the comment I made on Instagram. There is no way Edo can give 2.5 million votes to President Tinubu. General election results in the state have shown that only slightly above 500,000 people come out to vote,” he reportedly said.
“Even if the number of voters improves, 2.5 people won’t vote and not all of those who vote will vote for the APC,” he added.
The figure in the final quotation appears to contain a typographical error; the context suggests he was referring to 2.5 million votes.
Okpebholo has repeatedly set the target as part of the APC’s mobilisation efforts ahead of the 2027 election.
In May 2026, he said the state could deliver the figure for Tinubu, citing the turnout at the party’s presidential primary in his home ward. He later linked the target to development projects being undertaken by his administration.
In September, the governor also urged newly inaugurated local government chairmen to work towards delivering the promised votes for Tinubu.
Previous election figures fuel debate
Afeare cited the voting history of Edo State to support his argument, including the performance of former governor Adams Oshiomhole when the APC contested previous presidential elections.
Officially reported results from the 2023 presidential election show that Peter Obi of the Labour Party won Edo State with 331,163 votes, while Tinubu of the APC received 144,471 votes. Atiku, then the Peoples Democratic Party candidate, secured 89,585 votes.
Those results demonstrate that the APC did not win the state in the 2023 presidential election. However, they do not independently establish Afeare’s broader claim about Oshiomhole’s performance in every presidential election.
Okpebholo and Edo APC leaders have continued to express confidence that the party can improve its performance in 2027, pointing to grassroots mobilisation and projects undertaken by the state government.
Afeare’s comments add to the political debate over whether the APC can translate its organisational activities and the state government’s development agenda into the level of electoral support projected by its leaders.
Neither the governor’s 2.5 million vote target nor Afeare’s assessment of the party’s likely performance should be treated as an established election outcome. The actual result will depend on voter registration, turnout, voter preferences and the conduct of the election.
