Reported by: Oahimire Omone Precious | Edited by: Oravbiere Osayomore Promise.
The leader of the INRI Evangelical Spiritual Church, Primate Elijah Ayodele, has officially responded to the threat of a N10 billion defamation lawsuit by former Kano State Governor and vice-presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso. In a statement issued by his media aide, Osho Oluwatosin, on Thursday, June 25, 2026, Ayodele rejected the allegations of defamation, insisting that his words were not an attack but a prophecy received from God.
The dispute erupted after a sermon by Ayodele was livestreamed and went viral on social media. In it, the controversial cleric reportedly said that Kwankwaso would “betray” the NDC’s presidential candidate, Peter Obi, and that he had been “financially induced” to become Obi’s running mate. Kwankwaso’s legal team, led by Magaji Mato Ibrahim (SAN), issued a demand letter dated June 11, 2026, giving Ayodele 24 hours to retract the statements and issue a public apology. If he failed, the team threatened to institute legal proceedings seeking N10 billion in damages.
In his response, Ayodele firmly denied any ill intent. “I wish to state clearly that the purpose of my prophecies has never been to defame, malign, or attack anyone’s personality. I only speak based on what I receive from the throne of God,” he said. He noted that he had never met Kwankwaso personally and had no reason to deliberately target him. “I have never met Senator Kwankwaso, nor have I had any personal issues with him. Therefore, there is absolutely no reason for me to deliberately target or attack him,” Ayodele added.
Ayodele expressed disappointment that his prophecy was misunderstood and misrepresented by those interested in Kwankwaso’s political career. “For the sake of clarity, I would like to state that my message was greatly misunderstood and misrepresented by those interested in Kwankwaso’s political career. Sadly, even the politician misunderstood my statement and perceived it as a personal attack and an attempt to malign his character,” he said.
He urged the former governor to seek clarification before issuing threats, stating, “It should never have come to this. If clarification had been sought from me, I would have explained what I meant, and it would have been clear that I had no intention of defaming the politician or anyone else I have spoken about in my prophecies”.
In a veiled warning, Ayodele also cautioned those who manipulate his videos for selfish agendas, saying such actions are misleading and unacceptable. “I would also like to use this opportunity to warn those who manipulate my videos to serve personal, political, or selfish agendas. Such actions are misleading and unacceptable,” he stated. He called on individuals mentioned in his prophecies to seek clarification before issuing threats, reinforcing his stance that his messages are divine and should not be misconstrued as personal attacks.
The looming legal battle has captured national attention, as it pits a prominent politician against a well-known cleric who is no stranger to controversy over his prophecies. As of the time of this report, Kwankwaso’s camp has not issued an immediate response to Ayodele’s statement. The coming weeks are likely to determine whether the dispute escalates into a full-blown courtroom battle or if cooler heads will prevail in a bid to avoid a protracted legal confrontation.
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