The leader of the INRI Evangelical Spiritual Church, Primate Elijah Ayodele, has dismissed claims that he defamed former Kano State governor, Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso.
The response follows Kwankwaso’s threat to institute a N10 billion defamation lawsuit against the cleric over remarks allegedly made during a livestreamed sermon.
According to a letter from Kwankwaso’s legal team, Ayodele was accused of making comments that questioned the genuineness of the political relationship between the former governor and Peter Obi, the presidential candidate of the Nigerian Democratic Congress.
Speaking through his media aide, Osho Oluwatosin, Ayodele maintained that his comments were not intended to malign or attack Kwankwaso, stressing that his prophecies are based solely on divine revelations and not personal sentiments.
The cleric stated that he has never met Kwankwaso nor had any personal disagreement with him, insisting that there was no motive to target the politician. He explained that, like others he speaks about, his comments regarding Kwankwaso’s political ambitions were based on what he believed was a message received from God.
Ayodele added that he holds Kwankwaso in high regard and that his prophetic messages are never influenced by personal relationships, emotions, or grievances.
He expressed regret that the prophecy had been interpreted as a personal attack, noting that the issue could have been resolved through clarification rather than legal threats. According to him, a direct inquiry would have provided an opportunity to explain the context of his remarks and dispel any misunderstanding.
The cleric also cautioned individuals against editing or manipulating his videos to advance political or personal interests, warning that anyone found deliberately distorting his messages could face appropriate action. He further advised people mentioned in his prophecies to seek clarification before making accusations or issuing threats.
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