Former Kano State Governor and vice-presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, has threatened legal action against Primate Babatunde Elijah Ayodele of the INRI Evangelical Spiritual Church over alleged defamatory remarks made against him.
In a letter dated June 11, 2026, and signed by his lawyers, Magaji Mato Ibrahim SAN & Co., Kwankwaso accused the cleric of making false, malicious and damaging statements that questioned his loyalty and integrity within the NDC.
According to the legal notice, the remarks were made during a church gathering and subsequently circulated widely through social media platforms and news outlets. The former governor’s legal team argued that the comments portrayed him in a negative light and were capable of undermining his political standing and public reputation.
The lawyers maintained that the publication was designed to create distrust among members and supporters of the NDC, as well as damage Kwankwaso’s credibility as the party’s vice-presidential candidate.
Consequently, Kwankwaso demanded an immediate retraction and public apology to be published across all platforms where the alleged statements were disseminated.
He also requested a written undertaking from Primate Ayodele to refrain from making or republishing similar statements in the future.
The legal team gave the cleric 24 hours to comply with the demands, warning that failure to do so would result in legal proceedings seeking ₦10 billion in damages, alongside the cost of litigation and other reliefs deemed appropriate by the court.
As of the time of filing this report, Primate Ayodele had not publicly responded to the allegations or the legal threat.
