Lagos, Nigeria – The leader of the INRI Evangelical Spiritual Church, Primate Elijah Ayodele, has cautioned President Bola Tinubu against yielding to what he described as mounting external and internal pressures, urging the Nigerian leader to remain firm and guided by personal conviction in his decision-making.
In a recent message, the cleric warned that growing influence from foreign powers, particularly the United States, alongside competing domestic interests, could push the President into making costly errors. He advised Tinubu to avoid acting out of fear or compulsion, stressing that leadership decisions must be deliberate, patient and grounded in personal understanding rather than external demands.
Okay News reports that Ayodele’s latest remarks follow earlier controversial claims in which he alleged that individuals financing terrorism in Nigeria are embedded within powerful circles, including those close to the seat of government. In that previous statement, issued through his media aide, the cleric asserted that some alleged sponsors of insurgency were participating in high-level discussions with the President, warning that internal compromise posed a significant threat to national security.
He had also called for intensified surveillance and stronger security measures in several states, while urging the administration to resist any negotiations with terrorist groups. According to him, the fight against insecurity must begin with identifying and removing alleged financiers operating within the system.
While the Presidency has not officially responded to the cleric’s assertions, his comments have added to ongoing public debate about security, governance and the influence of political pressure on executive decision-making.
