The Leader of INRI Evangelical Spiritual Church, Primate Elijah Ayodele, has predicted that Nigeria could experience political and ethnic crises if President Bola Tinubu loses the 2027 presidential election.
Ayodele said the consequences of such an outcome could take a long time to resolve, warning that the election could trigger serious political tension across the country.
The cleric’s position was contained in a statement signed by his media aide, Osho Oluwatosin.
According to the statement, Ayodele claimed that Tinubu and his supporters were confident of winning the election, adding that an unexpected defeat could lead to serious political complications.
“If Tinubu loses this election, there will be so many crises, and it will take a long time to settle down; it will be an unimaginable manifestation because he believes he will win already. If he loses the election, it will be bloody because a lot of politicians will go into oblivion,” the cleric said.
Ayodele also predicted that there could be attempts to prevent the announcement of election results and that the outcome might trigger ethnic tensions.
He further expressed concern about the possibility of a difficult transfer of power if Tinubu were defeated at the polls.
“There will be several attempts to stop the announcement of results. The election can cause an ethnic crisis; it will take time for him to decide if he will release power or not,” he said.
The cleric also questioned the chances of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) retaining the presidency in 2027, saying the party’s victory was not certain.
“APC victory is shaking, but they don’t believe anyone can defeat them, and Tinubu doesn’t see beyond the Presidency. A lot of people will cry if he loses the election. It will be unbelievable and painful to so many. If Tinubu loses the election, it can change the electoral process in Nigeria,” Ayodele added.
The 2027 presidential election is expected to be a major political contest, with parties preparing to compete for the presidency.
