Former Kano State Governor Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso has threatened to file a N10 billion defamation suit against Primate Elijah Ayodele, the founder of INRI Evangelical Spiritual Church, over allegations that he would betray Peter Obi.
In a demand letter dated June 11, 2026, issued through his counsel, Magaji Mato Ibrahim, SAN & Co., Kwankwaso—who is vying as the vice-presidential candidate of the National Democratic Congress (NDC)—gave the cleric 24 hours to retract the comments and publish a formal apology.
The ultimatum follows a viral video from a live-streamed church service in which Ayodele purportedly questioned Kwankwaso’s loyalty to Obi. The lawyers quoted the cleric as saying: “Kwankwaso is a fake to Obi, Kwankwaso will betray you. Kwankwaso has been paid to be vice president to Obi.”
Kwankwaso’s legal team condemned the remarks as false, malicious, and damaging to his reputation, arguing they were deliberately designed to sow discord within the party and among supporters of both political figures.
The letter demands a full and unequivocal retraction across all social media platforms and news outlets where the original allegations circulated, alongside a written undertaking from Ayodele to cease making further defamatory statements.
Failure to comply within the stipulated timeframe, the lawyers warned, will leave them with no recourse but to commence legal proceedings—seeking N10 billion in damages and full litigation costs.
The development adds a fresh layer of tension to the ongoing political discourse surrounding Obi and Kwankwaso, following the cleric’s controversial prophecy regarding the former governor’s future loyalty.
