A high-stakes legal showdown is brewing between the pulpit and the political arena. Rabiu Kwankwaso, the vice-presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), has threatened a massive ₦10 billion defamation lawsuit against Primate Babatunde Ayodele, the leader of the Evangelical Spiritual Church.
The ultimatum was delivered via a fierce pre-action letter dated June 11, signed by Kwankwaso’s lawyer, Magaji Mato (SAN), and shared publicly by media aide Saifullahi Hassan. The veteran politician is demanding an immediate, total retraction and apology within 24 hours for what he describes as “false, malicious, and derogatory” remarks made by the cleric during a televised Lagos sermon.
The legal firestorm stems from a viral video of Ayodele addressing his physical congregation and a global live stream. In the broadcast, the cleric pulled no punches, explicitly questioning Kwankwaso’s political loyalty. According to the pre-action letter, Ayodele declared:
“KWANKWASO IS A FAKE TO OBI, KWANKWASO WILL BETRAY YOU. KWANKWASO HAS BEEN PAID TO BE VICE PRESIDENT TO OBI AMONG OTHER LIBELOUS COMMENTS, WHILE PRETENDING TO BE A PREACHER.”
Kwankwaso’s legal team argues these assertions are a deliberate, premeditated attempt to paint the former two-term Kano State Governor and ex-Minister of Defence as deceitful and hypocritical. They claim the sermon was strategically curated to drive a wedge between Kwankwaso, the NDC presidential candidate Peter Obi, and their millions of supporters.
Mato emphasized that his client has spent decades building a “sparkling reputation” across various high-profile offices, including serving as Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, a Senator, and a former presidential candidate.
To avoid a courtroom battle, Kwankwaso’s team has laid down a strict 24-hour ultimatum:
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A Full Retraction: Ayodele must publish a direct apology across all social media platforms and reputable local and international news outlets, given the same prominence as the original video.
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A Cease-and-Desist Undertaking: A written promise that the cleric will never publish defamatory content against Kwankwaso again.
The letter closed with a stark warning, “A stitch in time saves nine! You have been warned”. Failure to comply will result in a ₦10 billion lawsuit filed on a full indemnity basis.
Primate Ayodele has yet to officially responded to the legal threat.
