Primate Elijah Ayodele, Leader of the INRI Evangelical Spiritual Church, has refuted allegations that he attempted to extort N150 million from the Minister of Power, Adebayo Adelabu.
A media report had indicated that Adelabu petitioned the Department of State Services (DSS), alleging that the cleric demanded the purchase of about 1,000 trumpets—estimated at N150 million—and that his refusal supposedly led to a prophecy claiming he would never become governor of Oyo State.
In a statement issued by his media aide, Osho Oluwatosin, Primate Ayodele denied the claim, insisting he never requested money from the minister beyond recommending the trumpets as a spiritual directive.
He stated that it was Adelabu who first asked for the cost of the instruments, and he only provided an estimate while advising the minister to verify the prices independently.
According to Ayodele, Adelabu, accompanied by his personal assistant and another intermediary, mounted significant pressure on him due to the minister’s determination to secure the Oyo State governorship seat at the time.
“I didn’t ask Bayo Adelabu to bring money for prayers,” Ayodele said. “I told him to ask someone from his end to go to the market and find out how much the said trumpet cost, while someone from my side followed them. His personal assistant, himself, and the person he sent to me put me under so much pressure because he was desperate for governorship.”
Ayodele added that Adelabu expressed readiness to do “anything” to become governor, but the only instruction he gave was the purchase of the trumpets for spiritual purposes.
He explained further that he had informed the minister that securing the party’s governorship ticket would be difficult and advised him to seek divine mercy by purchasing the musical instruments—emphasising that they were not for his church. Adelabu declined the recommendation.
“I told him they wouldn’t want to give him the governorship ticket, but if he wanted it badly, he should seek God’s mercy by buying the musical instruments. He said he couldn’t do it, and that was all,” he said.
The cleric maintained that his prophecies regarding Adelabu’s political ambitions predated their interaction and were not influenced by the minister’s refusal to buy the trumpets.
“I have been saying for years that he wouldn’t become governor of Oyo State—that is why he reached out seeking solutions. I don’t make prophecies to make money; I am already blessed. My prophecies after our discussion were not because he refused to buy any instrument,” he said.
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