(Primate Ayodele. Photo by Leadership News)
Primate Elijah Ayodele, leader of the INRI Evangelical Spiritual Church in Lagos, has rejected defamation allegations levelled against him by former Kano State governor Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso.
Kwankwaso, who is the running mate of Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) presidential candidate Peter Obi, had threatened to file a N10 billion defamation suit against the cleric over remarks made during a sermon that was recorded and livestreamed.
In a letter through his lawyers, Kwankwaso alleged that Ayodele suggested he was insincere in his relationship with Obi and had been financially induced to accept the running mate position with a view to abandoning him at the last minute.
Responding through a statement signed by his media aide, Osho Oluwatosin, Primate Ayodele maintained that his comments were not a personal attack but a divine prophecy, and that he had no intention of defaming the former governor.
“It has come to my attention that the former Governor of Kano State, Rabiu Kwankwaso, has alleged that I wrongly accused him in my recent prophecy concerning his political ambition.
I wish to state clearly that the purpose of my prophecies has never been to defame, malign, or attack anyone’s personality. I only speak based on what I receive from the throne of God,” he said.
The cleric stressed that he had never met Kwankwaso personally and had no grievance against him that could have motivated a deliberate attack.
“I have never met Senator Kwankwaso, nor have I had any personal issues with him. Therefore, there is absolutely no reason for me to deliberately target or attack him.
Just as I speak concerning every individual I am divinely directed to address, I spoke about him and his political aspirations based solely on the message I received,” he said.
Ayodele described Kwankwaso as someone he respects and reiterated that his prophetic messages are never shaped by personal relationships or sentiments.
He argued that his remarks had been misunderstood and misrepresented by individuals with vested interests in the politician’s future, and expressed regret that the matter had escalated without anyone first seeking clarification from him.
“Sadly, even the politician misunderstood my statement and perceived it as a personal attack and an attempt to malign his character. It should never have come to this.
If clarification had been sought from me, I would have explained what I meant, and it would have been clear that I had no intention of defaming the politician or anyone else I have spoken about in my prophecies,” he said.
Ayodele urged those mentioned in his prophecies to seek clarification before issuing threats, and warned individuals who manipulate his videos for personal or political purposes to desist, cautioning that appropriate action would be taken against anyone found guilty of deliberately distorting his messages.