Tinubu, Don’t Come To My Church To Campaign; You Are Deceiving The Church To Play Politics – Primate Ayodele
Tinubu, Don’t Come To My Church To Campaign; You Are Deceiving The Church To Play Politics – Primate Ayodele
Primate Elijah Ayodele has warned President Bola Tinubu and the All Progressives Congress (APC) to change their campaign strategy, insisting that the party is facing growing dissatisfaction among Nigerians and that its approach to religious institutions is wrong.
Ayodele argued that Tinubu should not assume that what his administration has done in Kaduna means he has achieved everything, insisting that, in his view, the President has not achieved anything significant.
He also claimed that many Nigerians, including people in Lagos and the North, do not want to vote for the APC. According to him, the situation in the North is particularly serious, as he believes many Northerners have already made up their minds, unless circumstances change.
The prophet further stated that if a free and fair election were held in Nigeria today, the APC would not win, regardless of the strategies Tinubu might use. However, he said the situation could change if the President identified three key issues to campaign on and received God’s grace.
Ayodele also warned that the international community would closely monitor Nigeria’s elections.
Turning to the party’s campaign activities in churches, the prophet described the strategy as wrong and cautioned Tinubu’s allies against turning places of worship into political campaign grounds.
“Tinubu, don’t come to my church,” Ayodele said while criticising the practice of politicians using church platforms for political campaigns.
He argued that politicians who visit churches to campaign risk giving the impression that they are only using religious institutions for political gain. According to him, church members and pastors may see such visits as political games rather than genuine efforts to seek God’s presence.
Ayodele advised politicians to meet pastors privately, explain their intentions and allow the pastors to decide whether to pray for them. He maintained that politicians should not turn church services into campaign events or make statements that could put religious leaders in difficult positions.
He also challenged church leaders to give politicians honest advice rather than remain silent because they might benefit from their political connections.
The prophet specifically criticised the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), the Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria (PFN) and other church leaders, accusing them of being spiritually blindfolded and urging them to recognise what he described as the dangers of mixing religious activities with political campaigns.
Ayodele further warned that politicians should not depend on billboards and publicity to secure electoral victory, insisting that Nigerians would vote for whoever they wanted, whether or not the candidate had billboards everywhere.
He also cautioned Tinubu’s camp against neglecting Igbo voters, claiming that they could play a decisive role in determining the outcome of the Lagos State election.
On the economy, Ayodele warned that Nigerians could experience further hardship around December and January if urgent action was not taken. He raised concerns about the country’s foreign reserves and rising foreign debt, alleging that there were misleading claims about the state of the economy and warning that the debt could rise beyond what the country could comfortably manage.
The prophet also called on pastors who support the APC and those who have benefited from the party to pray and fast for Tinubu, saying the President needs divine intervention.
He equally called for prayers for Senate President Godswill Akpabio, claiming that Akpabio was not too strong and also needed prayers.
Ayodele maintained that he was speaking as a prophet and not seeking money, recognition or attention from politicians. He urged Tinubu’s allies to take his warning seriously and reconsider their approach.
