‘N150m can’t buy my shoe’ — Primate Ayodele fires back at power minister, Adelabu

Primate Elijah Ayodele, founder and head of INRI Evangelical Spiritual Church, has rejected claims that he attempted to extort N150 million from Bayo Adelabu, minister of power, insisting the amount cannot even pay for his footwear.

The cleric spoke on Sunday during a church service at INRI Evangelical Spiritual Church in Oke Afa, Lagos, where he suggested that Adelabu’s actions were driven by frustration over another failed bid for the Oyo governorship.

Ayodele’s comments followed  Adelabu petitioned to the Department of State Services (DSS), accusing the cleric of blackmail and an attempt to extort N150 million under the guise of “spiritual intercession” to help him become governor of Oyo state.

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

In the petition, the minister alleged that Ayodele demanded 1,000 pieces of saxophones/trumpets, claiming that the least expensive, fairly used Nigerian-grade instruments would cost N50 million, while imported grade-one instruments from China would amount to N130 million.

He further claimed that his refusal to meet the alleged demands led Ayodele to issue false prophecies aimed at damaging his reputation and political ambition.

In a statement issued on Saturday, Ayodele denied attempting to extort Adelabu, stating that the minister approached him out of desperation and told him he was willing to do anything to become governor of Oyo state.

Addressing the congregation during Sunday’s service, Ayodele described Adelabu as “a boy” who “doesn’t understand what he is saying”.

He also dismissed the N150 million figure referenced in the petition, asking rhetorically, “the shoe I wear, can N150 million buy it?”

“I can’t disappoint you. I can only disappoint you when you are not a good person. I carry something bigger than me,” Ayodele said.

“I am not doing prophecies to impress you or invite you to me. I don’t do prophecies for you to come and do enquiries. Take it, or you leave it.

“If I collected money, I would openly say I collected money. But I did not collect money, and I did not invite him. So, the boy doesn’t understand what he is saying. He is a boy. He doesn’t understand. Don’t give power to those who have mouth diarrhoea.

“Can N150 million buy my car? The shoe I wear, can N150 million buy it? Leave that person alone. He is a small boy. He knows he has lost that why he is pained.”

(The CABLE)