Power Minister, Adelabu, battles Primate Ayodele over alleged “spiritual deal” gone sour

Nigeria’s Minister of Power, Bayo Adelabu, has accused the founder and head of INRI Evangelical Spiritual Church, Primate Elijah Ayodele, of blackmail and attempting to extort N150 million from him under the guise of “spiritual intercession” to secure his emergence as governor of Oyo State.

Adelabu, who has announced his intention to contest the 2027 Oyo governorship election, made the allegation in a petition dated October 13, 2025, addressed to the Director-General of the Department of State Services (DSS).

The petition, signed by Bolaji Tunji, his Special Adviser on Strategic Communications and Media Relations, alleged that Ayodele demanded both cash and expensive spiritual items to ensure his political success.

According to the petition, the cleric had sent several text messages to the minister, asking him to provide 24 APC flags and 1,000 pieces of saxophones and trumpets, costing between N50 million and N130 million, for “divine prayers.”

Ayodele reportedly claimed that his demands were instructions from God meant to guarantee Adelabu’s victory in the next Oyo governorship election.

The minister, however, rejected the request, stating that his ambition was guided by genuine service and not by “spiritual manipulation or fetish practices.”

In one of the messages reportedly sent by Ayodele, he said: “Do vigil and the angel of God is coming to hear your request by 1am…I don’t want you to lose the coming election. That is why I’m following the instructions.”

Adelabu’s refusal allegedly angered the cleric, who later prophesied publicly that the minister would fail in his political ambition.

In several church videos, Ayodele declared that Adelabu had “made mistakes” and that his failure was “a warning from God.”

In his petition, Adelabu urged the DSS to investigate Ayodele’s activities, describing them as “extortive, deceitful, and inciting.” He also asked that the cleric be compelled to retract his “false prophecies” and tender a written apology.

The letter read in part:

“Following the Honourable Minister’s refusal to accede to his extortionate demands, Primate Ayodele embarked on a campaign of malicious and false prophecies targeted at discrediting him publicly.”

“He has gone as far as declaring through various media channels that ‘God told him he will not win the election.’”

The minister further petitioned the Oyo State Commissioner of Police, calling for a probe into what he described as “fraudulent religious practices” and “attempted extortion.”

However, in a phone interview with Journalists, Very Nigerian gathered that, Primate Ayodele denied the allegations, claiming instead that Adelabu was the one who first reached out through emissaries, seeking his spiritual assistance to become governor.

“I didn’t blackmail him. We didn’t have any transaction. Again, no money was exchanged between us,” Ayodele said.

“I discussed some terms with him, which he didn’t agree with. I can sell my services for any amount; it’s nobody’s business.”

“Why did he come to me in the first place if he didn’t believe in me?”

The cleric maintained that his prophecies were divine revelations and not acts of extortion, adding that he has no financial problems and remains focused on his ministry.

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