Nigeria’s Minister of Power, Bayo Adelabu, has filed a petition with the Department of State Services (DSS), accusing Primate Elijah Ayodele of attempting to extort N150 million from him under the guise of providing “spiritual support” for his 2027 governorship bid.
Adelabu, a former Oyo governorship aspirant, alleged that the founder of the INRI Evangelical Spiritual Church demanded large sums of money and costly ritual items in exchange for divine intervention.
The petition, dated 13 October 2025 and signed by Adelabu’s aide Bolaji Tunji, claims the cleric turned against him after he refused to comply with the demands.
According to the petition, Primate Ayodele reportedly instructed Adelabu to provide 24 APC flags and 1,000 saxophones or trumpets. Text messages seen by TheCable indicate the items were priced between N50 million for locally made instruments and N130 million for imported Chinese grade-one versions. The initial deadline was set for 1 April, later extended to 4 April.
Ayodele allegedly claimed the requests were “instructions from God” and urged Adelabu to perform prayers, vigils, and rituals to secure electoral victory. Adelabu reportedly told him he could not afford the items.
After Adelabu’s refusal, the cleric reportedly announced during a church service that the minister would not become Oyo governor, framing his pronouncements as divine warnings, while inviting Adelabu to take legal action if he wished.
The petition portrays the encounter as spiritual blackmail and an attempt to manipulate the political process through financial and ritual pressures.
