Spiritual Intercession: ‘Adelabu Said He’d Give Anything For Power’, Says Primate Ayodele

Founder and head of INRI Evangelical Spiritual Church, Oke Afa, Lagos, Primate Elijah Ayodele, has denied that he attempted to extort money from the Minister of Power, Chief Adebayo Adelabu, in the guise of spiritual intercession.

Ayodele maintained that he did not ask the minister for money but only asked someone close to him to find out the costs of trumpet.

“I didn’t ask Bayo Adelabu to bring money for prayers. 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 follows them from my end too. His personal assistant, himself, and the person he sent to me put me under so much pressure because he was desperate for governorship,” Ayodele said.

LEADERSHIP recalls that Adelabu had petitioned the Department of State Services (DSS), accusing Ayodele of blackmail and demanding N150 million for “spiritual intercession” to help him become governor of Oyo State.

Adelabu, who has twice contested the Oyo State governorship election has indicated his intention to run again in 2027.

According to the minister, Ayodele made false prophecies aimed at tarnishing his reputation after he rebuffed all demands from the cleric, who allegedly requested large sums of money and expensive spiritual items.

The minister also claimed that Ayodele asked him to provide 24 APC flags and 1,000 saxophones/trumpets, with prices ranging from N50 million for local instruments to N130 million for imported Chinese ones.
When Adelabu refused, Ayodele allegedly prophesied that the minister would never become governor.

In a statement signed by Osho Oluwatosin, his media aide, Ayodele explained that he never asked Adelabu to send him money apart from giving a cost estimate for the trumpets.

He said the minister himself asked for the figure so he could send someone to the market to verify the prices.

He said, “He was the one who sent someone to me to talk to me on his behalf. He went as far as saying he was willing to give anything to become the next governor of Oyo State, and the only thing I told him was to get the trumpets for his own good.

“I told him that they won’t want to give him the governorship ticket, but if he wants it so bad, he should seek the mercy of God by buying the musical instruments for God, not even for my church, but he said he can’t do it. That’s all.”

Ayodele maintained that he has long spoken publicly about Adelabu’s ambition, saying it would take the grace of God for him to become governor, and denied that his prophecies were motivated by money.

“I have been talking about how he won’t be made governor of Oyo State for years; this is why he called me to seek solutions. I have never spoken to him before till he sent people to me and personally requested my spiritual help,” he said.

“I don’t make prophecies to make money. I am blessed already, and my subsequent prophecies after our discussion about his ambition aren’t because he failed to buy the musical instrument. It can never be.”