Prominent cleric and founder of INRI Evangelical Spiritual Church, Primate Elijah Ayodele, has declared that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu may lose his re-election bid in 2027 if he fails to adopt a strategic approach, particularly in northern Nigeria.
Speaking during a session on Sunday, March 24, 2025, Primate Ayodele stated that the president’s political survival hinges on making calculated decisions, including appointing more trusted northerners into key positions to expand his influence in the region. He warned that some northern politicians within Tinubu’s trusted circle could betray him in the lead-up to the election.
Dismissing the notion that 2023 Labour Party presidential candidate, Peter Obi, poses a significant threat, the cleric asserted that the real challenge to Tinubu's ambition lies with three unnamed but highly influential political figures across the country. According to him, only by consolidating support in the north can Tinubu neutralize their impact.
The prophet, however, declined to reveal the identities of these three politicians, emphasizing the need for discretion and strategic planning by the president.
Primate Ayodele also urged Nigerians not to be swayed by calls for a coalition of opposition parties, claiming that such alliances may plunge the country into deeper hardship. He maintained that Tinubu has the capacity to solve Nigeria’s current challenges and insisted that his second term would be better than the first.
The controversial cleric concluded by calling on Nigerians to give President Tinubu another chance, warning that electing Atiku Abubakar, Peter Obi, or Seyi Makinde in 2027 would worsen the nation’s condition.
