Primate Elijah Ayodele, the spiritual leader of INRI Evangelical Spiritual Church, has issued a strong advisory to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu regarding the upcoming 2027 presidential elections. In a statement released through his media aide, Osho Oluwatosin, Ayodele cautioned the president against replacing Vice President Kashim Shettima as his running mate.
The prophet emphasized that removing Shettima could deepen divisions within the northern region and create widespread confusion. “Tinubu’s re-election bid will divide the north; it will cause a lot of division and confusion. The president must not make the mistake of replacing Shettima as his running mate,” Ayodele warned.
Despite this, Ayodele acknowledged that tensions between Tinubu and Shettima might escalate into a fierce political battle reminiscent of the clashes between former President Olusegun Obasanjo and Atiku Abubakar. “However, he must be ready for a dirty fight with him, like the days of Obasanjo and Atiku, both of them will have serious issues, but he should not remove Shettima for him to survive,” he added.
The prophet further predicted that such a conflict could marginalize Shettima’s role as vice president, potentially leading him to disengage from his official duties. “This kind of fight may even make the VP shun his office. It will make him less relevant in his office as VP because the pressure will be too much,” Ayodele explained.
In addition, Primate Ayodele advised President Tinubu to exercise caution regarding new members joining the All Progressives Congress (APC) from opposition parties. He warned that these new entrants might complicate Tinubu’s re-election efforts rather than strengthen them. “Tinubu will have problems from those joining the APC now. Instead of adding to his chances, they may end up deducting from them. He needs to stay alert and very careful,” he concluded.
