Primate Elijah Ayodele, leader of the INRI Evangelical Spiritual Church, has dismissed the proposed 30-day fuel price discount by President Bola Tinubu's administration as a sign of deep confusion within the government. In a statement sent to Legit.ng on Friday, October 9, Ayodele said the proposal showed a government struggling to stay relevant ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Government on the Verge of Failure, Says Cleric
Ayodele's remarks came a day after Finance Minister Taiwo Oyedele announced the proposed discount during a briefing in Abuja on Thursday, October 8. Oyedele said the arrangement would give priority to public transport operators and denied that it amounted to a return of the petrol subsidy, saying the government intended to sell petrol at cost. He did not disclose the expected discount per litre or the final pump price motorists would pay.
In the statement, signed by his media aide Osho Oluwatosin, Ayodele said: "Tinubu's government is on the verge of failure; the petroleum discount is nothing. I have said he will do anything to bail himself for a second term; they will do anything, and something big is coming ahead of this election."
APC Accused of Confusion and Desperation
The cleric also weighed in on the political picture, saying the All Progressives Congress (APC) was operating without a clear direction as it prepared for 2027. He urged President Tinubu to exercise caution, including around his campaign activities.
"APC is very desperate for this election; they want to win by all means, and there is confusion. Tinubu will do what he shouldn't do, and he must be careful; even the campaign council don't understand what is coming up, and time will tell. There is serious confusion and shame in this government. They are trying to return fuel subsidy," he said.
Furthermore, Ayodele referenced earlier warnings he said he had issued about the administration's handling of security, pointing to the government's position on ransom payments as evidence of what he described as dishonesty. "When we were telling Nigerians that Tinubu will not be able to handle security, people didn't listen, but the government has been lying about not paying ransom," he said.
Warns of Hardship Under a Second Tinubu Term
Beyond the fuel discount, Ayodele warned about the consequences of a potential Tinubu re-election, saying the country would face a more difficult period than it currently endures. "Tinubu's second term will bring serious hardship to Nigeria, and there are signs already. This is not a prophecy said out of hatred but what God has shown me. If Tinubu wins a second term, the country will suffer greatly, and what we see today will be nothing compared to what will happen if he returns for a second term," he said.
Earlier, Legit.ng reported that a former Cross River State Governor and Peoples Redemption Party (PRP) presidential candidate, Donald Duke, promised to drive down the price of petrol to about N300 per litre if elected president in 2027. Duke said his proposed reduction would be achieved by changing the way petroleum products meant for domestic consumption are priced, arguing that Nigerians should not be made to bear international market prices for locally produced crude.
