Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, the vice-presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), has threatened to institute a N10 billion defamation suit against Primate Elijah Ayodele, founder and head of INRI Evangelical Spiritual Church, Oke Afa, Lagos, over alleged defamatory remarks.
Kwankwaso, through his lawyers, Magaji Mato Ibrahim SAN
& Co, accused the cleric of making false, malicious and derogatory
statements capable of damaging his reputation and political integrity.
In a letter dated June 11, 2026 and posted on X by
Saifullahi Hassan, Kwankwaso’s media aide on Wednesday, the lawyers said their
client’s attention had been drawn to a viral publication allegedly made by the
cleric and circulated on social media as well as local and international news
platforms.
The letter alleged that Ayodele, while addressing a
congregation in a sermon that was recorded and livestreamed, made comments
suggesting that Kwankwaso was insincere in his relationship with Peter Obi and
had been financially induced to become his running mate.
According to the solicitors, Ayodele said, “Kwankwaso is a
fake to Obi, Kwankwaso will betray you. Kwankwaso has been paid to be vice
president to Obi”.
The lawyers argued that the statements directly attacked
their client’s credibility, sincerity of purpose and political integrity.
“The Publication directly and unequivocally refers to our
Client and attacks his credibility, sincerity of purpose and political
integrity as the Vice-presidential Candidate and running mate to Peter Obi
under the Nigerian Democratic Congress (NDC) political party,” the letter
reads.
They further described the remarks as “deliberate,
premeditated, false, unprovoked, grossly unfounded and unsubstantiated,” adding
that they portrayed Kwankwaso “to right thinking members of the society as
deviant, hypocritic, deceitful and insincere”.
According to the lawyers, the alleged publication was
intended to tarnish the reputation Kwankwaso had built over the years and sow
division among members and supporters of the NDC.
The solicitors demanded that Ayodele, within 24 hours, issue
a “full, direct and unequivocal retraction” of the alleged defamatory
statements and publish an apology.
“That you immediately within twenty-four (24) hours publish
a full, direct and unequivocal retraction of and apology for the false,
malicious and defamatory publication against our Client, on all social media
platforms and reputable local and international news outlets, while ensuring
that the retraction and apology is given the same visibility and prominence as
your defamatory publication,” the lawyers demanded.
“You provide a written undertaking that henceforth, you will
cease and desist from publishing or republishing any defamatory or malicious
content against our Client through any medium and on any platform whatsoever.”
The lawyers warned that failure to comply with the demands
would result in legal action.
“Take Notice that if you neglect, fail or refuse to accede
to our reasonable demands within the stipulated time frame, we have our
Client’s unflinching instruction to take out appropriate legal proceedings
against you without further recourse to you, wherein we shall claim substantial
damages to the tune of Ten Billion Naira and cost of the action on a full
indemnity basis amongst other reliefs,” the letter stated.
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