Nigeria’s Minister of Power, Bayo Adelabu, has filed a petition with the Department of State Services (DSS), accusing popular cleric, Primate Elijah Ayodele, of attempting to extort him under the guise of providing “spiritual support” for his 2027 governorship ambition.
In the petition dated October 13, 2025 and signed by his aide, Bolaji Tunji, Adelabu alleged that the INRI Evangelical Spiritual Church founder demanded N150 million worth of cash, ritual items, and musical instruments in exchange for divine assistance ahead of the next election in Oyo State.
According to the minister, the cleric allegedly insisted he must supply 24 APC flags and 1,000 saxophones or trumpets — items priced between N50 million for local grades and N130 million for top-grade imported versions, based on text messages obtained by TheCable. Ayodele reportedly set an initial deadline of April 1, later extending it to April 4.
Primate Ayodele is said to have described the unusual requests as “instructions from God,” urging Adelabu to comply so he could undergo prayers, vigils, and spiritual rituals that would guarantee his victory at the polls. Adelabu allegedly told him he could not afford such demands.
The situation reportedly soured after Adelabu refused. According to the petition, Ayodele then used a church service to proclaim that Adelabu would not become the next governor of Oyo State, insisting his prophecy was a divine warning. He also challenged the minister to take him to court if he disagreed.
In the petition, Adelabu described the entire encounter as an attempt at spiritual blackmail, warning that no religious figure should be allowed to influence the political process through intimidation, prophecy threats, or financial pressure.
