Primate Elijah Ayodele, founder of INRI Evangelical Spiritual Church, Oke-Afa, Lagos, has denied allegations that he attempted to extort N150 million from the Minister of Power, Adebayo Adelabu, in exchange for “spiritual intercession” to help him become governor of Oyo State.
The cleric was reacting to a petition filed by Adelabu with the Department of State Services (DSS), accusing him of blackmail, fake prophecies, and repeated demands for huge sums of money and costly “spiritual items”.
In the petition dated 13 October 2025, and signed by Bolaji Tunji, Adelabu’s media adviser, the minister claimed Ayodele demanded 24 APC flags, 1,000 saxophones or trumpets worth between N50 million and N130 million, and other materials as prerequisites for “divine favour”.
Text messages exchanged between both men, seen by TheCable, showed Ayodele asking the minister to provide the items by 1 April, later extending the deadline to 4 April.
‘Sir, I don’t do this, but because of the love I have for you,’ the primate wrote in one of the messages.
Ayodele also urged the minister to recite “almu nasira” 200 times, a likely reference to Alam Nashrah, the 94th chapter of the Qur’an, and repeatedly insisted he had a divine message that Adelabu would govern Oyo State.
The minister, however, declined the requests, stating he could not afford the expensive items.
Following the breakdown in communication, Ayodele later declared in his church sermons that Adelabu had “failed” and would not become governor, statements Adelabu described as retaliatory and malicious.
In his petition, Adelabu, who has contested for Oyo governor twice and is eyeing another attempt in 2027, urged the DSS to investigate Ayodele for extortion, blackmail, and incitement, accusing the cleric of using false prophecies to influence politics and target him for refusing to pay.
He also petitioned the Oyo State Commissioner of Police over the cleric’s alleged conduct.
Speaking to TheCable, Ayodele insisted he made no attempt to extort Adelabu, claiming instead that the minister was the one who first reached out to him through emissaries because he was “desperate” to become governor.
‘I didn’t blackmail him. We didn’t have any transaction. No money was exchanged,’ Ayodele said.
‘I can sell my services for any amount, even N1 billion, if I provide value. But I never asked him for money. What are you doing with someone you claim gives fake prophecies?’
He said the request for trumpets was symbolic and not intended for his church, adding that Adelabu declined after saying he could not afford them.
Ayodele’s spokesperson, Osho Oluwatosin, later issued a formal statement dismissing the allegations as fabricated, insisting that the cleric merely asked the minister to verify the cost of the instruments, an instruction they claim Adelabu “voluntarily sought”.
‘I only told him to buy trumpets as a way of seeking God’s mercy,’ Ayodele said. ‘He sent someone to verify prices. Someone from my side followed. That’s all.’
He maintained that his longstanding prophecy that Adelabu would struggle to become governor predates any interaction between them.
‘I don’t make prophecies because of money. God has blessed me already,’ he said.