Primate Elijah Ayodele, the head of the INRI Evangelical Spiritual Church, warned in Lagos that President Bola Tinubu will lose the 2027 presidential election. Speaking to his congregation during a Sunday service, Ayodele said that attempts to use rice and money to sway voters will not succeed. He echoed remarks by Cardinal John Onaiyekan, the Archbishop Emeritus of the Catholic Diocese of Abuja, who has publicly criticised the president’s approach.
“This is what I expected all these babas of faith, I don’t want to mention their names because it’s not sounding right before God,” Ayodele said. “I give it to Archbishop Onaiyekan for what he has said to the president. Leave him, if Tinubu like let him take or not but there is anger and hunger in the land. By the election, you will see how people will show their grievances, rice and money will not stop it. We are telling you to do the right thing, all these surrogate aides will push you into a fire that will burn you, Tinubu will lose this election.”
The preacher’s comments come amid a broader trend of Nigerian religious leaders weighing in on politics. The INRI Evangelical Spiritual Church has long been active in public commentary, and its leaders often address national issues during worship services. Ayodele’s remarks highlight the perceived disconnect between the government’s promises and the lived reality of many Nigerians, who he described as hungry and angry.
Cardinal Onaiyekan’s earlier statements have also drawn attention to the president’s handling of economic and social challenges. By aligning with the cardinal’s critique, Ayodele positioned his church as a voice of conscience, urging believers to resist political manipulation. He warned that surrogate aides—those who seek to influence voters through material incentives—will ultimately lead people into a “fire that will burn you.”
The preacher’s prediction that Tinubu will lose the 2027 election is a stark departure from the current political narrative, which has largely portrayed the president as a strong contender. While Ayodele’s statement is not a formal political endorsement, it reflects a growing skepticism among some religious communities about the use of gifts and incentives to secure votes.
The church’s message underscores a broader conversation about the role of faith leaders in shaping public opinion. As the 2027 election approaches, the statements of figures like Ayodele and Onaiyekan may influence how voters perceive the legitimacy of political campaigns and the promises made by candidates. The coming months will test whether the concerns raised by these leaders resonate with the electorate and whether the use of rice and money as political tools will indeed fail to sway the outcome.
