A political group, the Oyo State Voluntary Campaigners (OSVC), has strongly criticized Primate Elijah Ayodele of the INRI Evangelical Spiritual Church, Lagos, over his recent comments regarding the 2027 gubernatorial ambition of Chief Adebayo Adelabu, the current Minister of Power.
In a statement signed by the group’s state chairman, Dr. Dele Atiba, the OSVC described Primate Ayodele as an “attention seeker” who thrives on “spiritual gambling” and what they termed “fake prophecies.”
The cleric, in an interview with Sunday Tribune, had remarked: “In Oyo, there’s growing unrest. Muslims are preparing for a political showdown. The people of Oke-Ogun will challenge Ibadan’s dominance. Adebayo Adelabu cannot become governor.”
Reacting, Dr. Atiba likened Ayodele to the biblical false prophet Zedekiah, alleging that his prophecies are self-serving and aimed at manipulating those in positions of power.
“Primate Ayodele is a spiritual gambler whose stomach is his god. Like Zedekiah, he prophesies lies in the name of God. There is no doubt that his fate will mirror the judgment declared in Jeremiah 29:21,” Atiba said.
He accused the cleric of consistently targeting politicians with the intent to exploit them financially, stating that Ayodele’s pattern is well-known among political circles.
“There’s evidence that his so-called prophecies are deliberately directed at politicians, hoping to manipulate and extort them. In 2022, he falsely prophesied that President Bola Tinubu would not win the election. Now he claims Tinubu is the people’s choice for 2027. This clearly shows his inconsistency and opportunism,” he added.
Atiba further alleged that Ayodele recently demanded nearly N200 million from a political aspirant to conduct special prayers for electoral success. When the aspirant declined, the cleric allegedly began issuing “doom-laden prophecies” against him.
“If he continues this blackmail disguised as prophecy, we will not hesitate to report him to the appropriate authorities. There is overwhelming evidence of his manipulative tactics, which we will publish to protect the public from falling victim,” the group warned.
The OSVC insisted that spiritual figures like Primate Ayodele do not have the final say in Oyo’s political future.
“God is not man, and Primate Ayodele cannot claim to be His voice in choosing leaders for Oyo State. Minister Adebayo Adelabu, also known as Penkelemesi, remains God’s anointed candidate. No amount of blackmail or false prophecy can derail this divine agenda. The voice of the people will be the voice of God,” the statement concluded.
Dr. Atiba urged the people of Oyo State to disregard Ayodele’s prophecies, describing them as baseless and lacking any meaningful contribution to the state’s development.