Primate Elijah Ayodele, leader of INRI Evangelical Spiritual Church, has warned that Nigeria could face violence, political unrest and ethnic crises if President Bola Tinubu loses the 2027 presidential election.
In a statement released by his media aide, Osho Oluwatosin, the cleric said the country could take a long time to recover from the effects of such an outcome.
Ayodele claimed Tinubu and his supporters already expect him to win a second term, making defeat difficult for them to accept.
He said, “If Tinubu loses this election, there will be so many crises, and it will take a long time to settle down; it will be an unimaginable manifestation because he believes he will win already. If he loses the election, it will be bloody because a lot of politicians will go into oblivion.”
The cleric also warned that efforts could be made to stop the announcement of election results, while ethnic tensions could rise across Nigeria.
He further questioned whether Tinubu would accept defeat and peacefully hand over power to the winner.
“There will be several attempts to stop the announcement of results. The election can cause an ethnic crisis; it will take time for him to decide if he will release power or not,” he stated.
Speaking about the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), Ayodele said its victory was not certain despite its leaders’ confidence.
“APC victory is shaking, but they don’t believe anyone can defeat them, and Tinubu doesn’t see beyond the Presidency. A lot of people will cry if he loses the election. It will be unbelievable and painful to so many. If Tinubu loses the election, it can change the electoral process in Nigeria,” he added.
