Reported by: Ijeoma G | Edited by: Oravbiere Osayomore Promise.
The Leader of the INRI Evangelical Spiritual Church, Primate Elijah Ayodele, has issued a stark and urgent warning to Nigerian youths and political supporters, urging them not to risk their lives for politicians ahead of the 2027 general elections. In a viral video shared on TikTok and other social media platforms on Monday, August 17, 2026, the cleric delivered a blunt message: politicians are "evil," "use-and-dump" figures who exploit supporters for their own gain and abandon them once their objectives are achieved. He specifically cited President Bola Tinubu and former Vice President Atiku Abubakar as political rivals who are actually friends behind closed doors, while their supporters fight and die for causes that ultimately benefit only the political elite.
Ayodele's warning comes at a time of heightened political tension in Nigeria, following the violent build-up to the August 15 Osun State governorship election, which saw multiple deaths and widespread allegations of thuggery and intimidation. The cleric used the Osun example to drive home his point, telling supporters that while they shed blood for their preferred candidates, the politicians themselves would reconcile after the elections and maintain cordial relations. "You lost, your family lost. Adeleke, Oyetola, they will greet themselves. They will do padi padi thing," Ayodele said, referring to the rivalry between Osun Governor Ademola Adeleke and his predecessor, Gboyega Oyetola. The two men, he argued, would eventually shake hands and move on, while the supporters who fought and died for them would bear the permanent consequences of their actions.
The cleric did not mince words in his assessment of Nigeria's political class. "Nigerian politicians are use-and-dump. They are evil; they even use people like us," Ayodele declared. He warned young Nigerians not to allow themselves to be manipulated by financial inducements, such as the promise of N1 million or N500,000, into participating in violent political activities. "Don't kill yourself. Election is coming soon. Don't let them use you because of N1m or N500,000 they will give you. If you lose, they shoot your leg or they kidnap you or they do anything, it's your headache," he said. The cleric stressed that the consequences of political violence—death, injury, disability, or kidnapping—would be borne entirely by the supporters and their families, not by the politicians who incited them.
Ayodele's message was a direct challenge to the culture of political thuggery that has become entrenched in Nigerian elections, where young people are often recruited as foot soldiers, paid small sums of money, and deployed to disrupt opposing parties, snatch ballot boxes, and intimidate voters. The cleric questioned whether politicians would ever expose their own children to the same dangers they ask supporters to face. "Can they send their children to war on any of their families? And yet they will not help you," he asked, urging young Nigerians to exercise wisdom and avoid becoming casualties of political contests.
Political Rivals Are Friends Behind Closed Doors
One of the most striking aspects of Ayodele's warning was his assertion that political rivals, despite their public animosity, maintain cordial relationships with one another. "Tinubu and Atiku, they are friends. You only fight and fight and fight and fight and kill yourself," he said. The cleric's reference to Tinubu and Atiku is particularly significant, given that the two men were fierce opponents in the 2023 presidential election and are expected to be leading contenders again in 2027. By describing them as friends, Ayodele sought to expose the hypocrisy of political loyalty, arguing that supporters who kill or die for their candidates are ultimately fighting for men who share personal relationships across party lines.
The cleric's comments have resonated with many Nigerians, particularly in the wake of the Osun election, which was marked by violence, allegations of vote-buying, and the deployment of federal security agencies. The Osun election, which saw Adeleke secure a decisive victory with 511,067 votes against the APC's Bola Oyebamiji, who polled 444,815 votes, was a reminder of the high stakes of electoral contests in Nigeria. However, the violence that accompanied the campaign—including multiple deaths and the destruction of property—has raised serious questions about the cost of political ambition.
Ayodele's warning comes as political activities intensify ahead of the 2027 general elections. The cleric, who has previously made several political predictions, including about the 2027 presidential election, stressed that the election was "coming soon" and that Nigerians must not allow themselves to be used as instruments of violence. He also extended his criticism to religious leaders, warning that politicians could also exploit pastors and other influential figures for political purposes before abandoning them. "They will only use you and dump you. They will use people like us too, pastors, and they will dump us. That is not a problem," he said.
The cleric urged young Nigerians involved in politics to be cautious and avoid blindly praising or defending political figures at the expense of their own safety. He advised Nigerians to prioritise their lives, families, and future over political loyalty, stressing that no politician was worth losing one's life for. "Stop fighting or die because of these politicians. Politicians, they are use and dump. They are ungrateful, they are ingrate," he said.
The video has generated mixed reactions on social media, with some Nigerians applauding Ayodele's courage in speaking truth to power, while others questioned the cleric's own political motives. However, his message has struck a chord with many young Nigerians who have become disillusioned with the political class and the violence that often accompanies elections. As the 2027 elections approach, Ayodele's warning serves as a reminder that the cost of political violence is borne not by the politicians who incite it, but by the ordinary citizens who are manipulated into becoming its foot soldiers. The question now is whether his warning will be heeded, or whether the cycle of violence will continue unabated.
📩 Stone Reporters News | 🌍 stonereportersnews.com
✉️ info@stonereportersnews.com | 📘 Facebook: Stone Reporters News | 🐦 X (Twitter): @StoneReportNew | 📸 Instagram: @stonereportersnews
Add comment
Comments