One of the ministers in President Bola Tinubu-led Federal Government, Bayo Adelabu – Minister of Power, has reported Primate Elijah Ayodele, founder of the INRI Evangelical Spiritual Church in Lagos, to the Department of State Services (DSS), alleging that the cleric attempted to obtain N150 million from him under the guise of offering “spiritual intercession” to aid his 2027 Oyo governorship bid.
Adelabu, who has twice contested for the Oyo governorship seat, recently confirmed that he intends to run again in the next election cycle.
In a petition addressed to the DSS director-general and signed by his media aide, Bolaji Tunji, the minister accused Ayodele of launching smear campaigns and issuing false prophecies after he rejected repeated requests for money and costly spiritual items.
According to a report by TheCABLE, text messages reviewed show Ayodele asking Adelabu to provide 24 APC flags for prayers as well as 1,000 saxophones or trumpets — items valued between N50 million and N130 million depending on their grade. Initially, the cleric asked that the materials be delivered by April 1, before shifting the date to April 4.
“Sir, I don’t do this, but because of the love I have for you,” Ayodele wrote in one of the messages.
The cleric also referenced past attempts to reach Adelabu, including during his tenure as a deputy governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), and asked the minister to “recite almu nasira 200 times”. He insisted that his directives were based on divine instruction and repeatedly stated that Adelabu would become Oyo governor.
“I have divine advice for you sir, which can help a lot sir, kindly pick my call,” one message read.
”Do vigil and the angel of God is coming to hear request by 1am…I don’t want you to lose the coming election. That is why I’m following the instructions.”
The minister replied that he could not afford the requested items.
Following the breakdown in communication, Ayodele declared in a sermon that Adelabu had already “failed” and would not emerge governor of the state. In video clips, the cleric described his earlier messages to the minister as a “warning from God” and challenged Adelabu to arrest or sue him.
In his petition, Adelabu said he declined Ayodele’s demands because his political ambition was “driven by genuine service and not by spiritual manipulation or fetish practices”.
The minister asked the DSS to investigate Ayodele, compel him to recant what he described as false prophecies, and issue a written apology.
“I write to formally draw the attention of the Department of State Services (DSS) to the extortive, deceitful, and inciting activities of one self-acclaimed pastor known as Primate Elijah Ayodele… capable of disturbing public peace and undermining the integrity of the political process in Oyo State,” the petition stated.
Adelabu alleged that Ayodele had, over a period of years, approached him with unsolicited spiritual offers tied to monetary and material demands amounting to more than N150 million.
He said the cleric’s recent public statements — including declarations that “God told him he will not win the election” — were retaliatory attacks meant to damage his reputation.
The minister asked the DSS to investigate the cleric for extortion and blackmail and to place him under legal scrutiny to deter similar practices.
He also submitted a related petition to the Oyo state police command.
But speaking on the development, Ayodele denied any wrongdoing, insisting that Adelabu was the one who initiated contact through emissaries.
“I didn’t blackmail him. We didn’t have any transaction. Again, no money was exchanged between us,” he said.
“I discussed some terms with him, which he didn’t agree with. I didn’t make any attempt to extort him. I can sell my services for any amount. I can value it at N1 billion as much as I provide the value he wants. It’s nobody’s business. Why did you come to me in the first place if you didn’t believe in me? What are you doing with someone you claim is dishing out fake prophesies? He should say anything he likes.
“I’m big. I’m not poor. I take care of vulnerable people. I’m blessed in the Lord.”
(The CABLE)
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