Renowned cleric Primate Elijah Ayodele has issued a stark warning about Nigeria's security situation, stating that escalating violence could potentially delay the scheduled 2027 general elections.
Urgent Message to President Tinubu
In a significant statement released on Sunday, November 23, through his media aide Osho Oluwatosin, the leader of INRI Evangelical Spiritual Church in Lagos delivered a crucial message to President Bola Tinubu. Primate Ayodele strongly advised the president to immediately suspend all political activities and concentrate entirely on tackling the nation's security challenges.
The spiritual leader emphasized that any politician currently engaged in political campaigns demonstrates a disregard for human lives. "Suspend every political campaign and activities for now. Let us deal with insecurity for now. If anyone is doing any political activity, it means he does not care about human lives," Ayodele stated unequivocally.
Time Running Out for Action
Primate Ayodele delivered a sense of urgency in his warning to the Nigerian leader. He cautioned that time is rapidly running out for the administration to address the security crisis before it reaches a critical point that could disrupt the democratic process.
"Tinubu should not fear anybody. He needs to act before it is too late. Time is running out, and if care is not taken, insecurity can delay the 2027 election," the cleric explained in his statement to Legit.ng.
Critical Security Recommendations
The religious leader also provided specific guidance to President Tinubu regarding security management. He strongly urged the president to heed advice from the Department of State Services (DSS) and other key security agencies operating in the country.
Ayodele used biblical symbolism to describe the complexity of the security situation, noting "there is hands of Esau in the system" and emphasizing that the government must act immediately to address the threats.
Expressing particular concern about recent attacks on military personnel, the cleric described the killing of Nigerian soldiers as "a shame to the Nigerian military" and emphasized that such incidents represent a dangerous escalation of the security crisis that requires immediate presidential attention.
The warning comes amid growing concerns about various security challenges across Nigeria, including banditry, kidnapping, and separatist violence, which have raised questions about the feasibility of conducting peaceful elections in some regions of the country.
