“Vote for Who?” — Ayodele condemns campaigns amid Oyo school children kidnap

Michael Olumide

Leader of INRI Evangelical Spiritual Church, Lagos, Nigeria, Primate Elijah Ayodele, has strongly condemned ongoing political campaigns in Oyo State amid the continued captivity of schoolchildren kidnapped by suspected bandits.

Speaking during a church gathering, Ayodele criticized political leaders for allegedly prioritizing campaigns and power struggles over the worsening insecurity across the country, particularly the abduction of innocent children in Oyo State.

The cleric said it was insensitive for politicians to continue canvassing for votes while children remain in kidnappers’ dens, insisting that all forms of political activities in the state should be suspended until the victims regain freedom.

“There should be no campaign until those children are released,” Ayodele declared.
“But you see them talking vote, vote for who? We don’t need your voting. That is the truth.”

Ayodele questioned the Federal Government’s handling of insecurity and challenged President Bola Tinubu to declare a state of emergency in states heavily affected by kidnappings and killings if the administration is truly committed to ending the crisis.

“The ground is crying. If Tinubu does not stop insecurity, it is sad. If Tinubu is not interested in this killing, any state where there is kidnapping or killings, declare a state of emergency,” he said.

The prophet warned that President Tinubu’s re-election ambition could face serious challenges if urgent action is not taken to tackle insecurity across the country.

“It is dicey. If you do not do the right thing, it is going to be dicey. Tinubu’s victory is dicey, that is the truth,” he stated.

Ayodele also urged security agencies, including the police, military, and others to deploy the same technological tracking methods allegedly used in tracing stolen public funds to hunt down kidnappers and terrorists terrorizing communities nationwide.

“If they can track people who steal politicians’ money or wallets, why can’t they use the same tracker to track kidnappers?” he queried.

The cleric further accused politicians of being responsible for the emergence and growth of terrorism in Nigeria, claiming many political actors are more interested in power than the welfare of citizens.

“I said it the other time, who are the genesis of terrorism? It is the politicians. They fabricated it and they are not interested in your progress,” he alleged.

On the political situation in Lagos State, Ayodele revisited his earlier warning about a looming clash between the Mandate Movement and Justice Forum within the All Progressives Congress (APC), warning that the internal rivalry could divide the party ahead of future elections.

According to him, recent comments credited to the President’s daughter, Folashade Tinubu-Ojo, were signs that concerns over the brewing crisis should not be ignored.

“I said three weeks ago that Mandate and Justice Forum will fight,” he said.
“If they don’t take care of this, Mandate and Justice Forum will cause APC in Lagos State to have division.”

Ayodele praised Tinubu-Ojo, describing her as someone with foresight who understands the political realities surrounding her father.

The prophet also launched attacks on some Christian leaders and church organizations, accusing them of compromising their integrity by allegedly aligning with the government instead of speaking truth to power.

He alleged that several prominent clerics and church bodies were on government payrolls, a development he claimed had weakened their willingness to support protests against hardship and insecurity.

Ayodele maintained that he would continue to speak openly on national issues regardless of criticism, insisting that his prophetic messages were divinely inspired.

He further raised concerns about what he described as another impending “leakage” from the presidency, warning security agencies, especially the Department of State Services (DSS), to remain alert.

“The leakage has not come out, what you are seeing is the preamble,” he warned.

The outspoken cleric concluded by urging Nigerians not to trade their conscience for temporary political inducements such as cash or food items during elections, warning that politicians only become desperate during campaigns while neglecting the people afterward.