The Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) vice presidential candidate, Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, has threatened to file a N10 billion defamation lawsuit against Primate Elijah Ayodele, the founder and leader of INRI Evangelical Spiritual Church in Oke Afa, Lagos, over alleged defamatory remarks.
Through his lawyers, Magaji Mato Ibrahim SAN & Co., Kwankwaso accused the cleric of making false, misleading, and defamatory statements capable of damaging his reputation and political standing.
In a letter dated June 11, 2026, which Kwankwaso’s media aide, Saifullahi Hassan, shared on X on Wednesday, the legal team said their client became aware of a viral publication allegedly authored by the cleric and circulated widely across social media as well as local and international news platforms.
Furthermore, the letter alleged that during a sermon broadcast live to his congregation, Ayodele suggested that Kwankwaso had acted dishonestly in his dealings with Peter Obi and accepted inducements to become his running mate.
According to the solicitors, Ayodele described Kwankwaso as disloyal to Obi and alleged that unnamed individuals paid him to become Obi’s running mate.
The lawyers said the remarks undermined their client’s credibility, questioned his sincerity of purpose, and damaged his political integrity.
The statement reads, “The Publication directly and unequivocally refers to our Client and attacks his credibility, sincerity of purpose and political integrity as the Vice-presidential Candidate and running mate to Peter Obi under the Nigerian Democratic Congress (NDC) political party.”
Consequently, the lawyers demanded that Ayodele, within 24 hours, issue a “full, direct and unequivocal retraction” of the alleged defamatory statements and publish an apology.
Obi Picks Kwankwaso As Running Mate
Recall that in May, Peter Obi officially announced Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso as his running mate, following his ratification as the NDC 2027 presidential candidate.
Obi picked NDC presidential nomination and expression of interest forms on May 17. Three days later, the NDC national screening committee cleared him as the party’s sole presidential aspirant ahead the primaries.
Despite criticism following their alliance, the duo continues to forge ahead with preparation for the elections.
Read Also: Peter Obi Announces Kwankwaso As Running Mate
Backstory…
Meanwhile, the move comes only two months after Primate Ayodele cautioned President Bola Ahmed Tinubu against being complacent about his ambition for a second term.
The cleric Primate Ayodele emphasized that pressing issues such as insecurity and the economy require serious divine intervention.
He said, “Tinubu’s second term is shaking. The area of security needs divine intervention, the economy is very flat, and Tinubu is surrounded by liars. Those people coming to yu, singing your praises, are your enemies, and you have been blind folded spiritually.
