Kwankwaso Issues 24-Hour Ultimatum, Threatens N10bn Suit Against Primate Ayodele Over Defamatory Allegations
Former Kano State Governor and vice-presidential candidate of the Nigerian Democratic Congress (NDC), Dr. Musa Kwankwaso, has threatened legal action against Primate Elijah Ayodele over alleged defamatory remarks linking him to a supposed plan to betray the party’s presidential candidate, Peter Obi.
Through his legal representatives, Magaji Mato Ibrahim SAN & Co., Kwankwaso issued a 24-hour ultimatum to the founder of INRI Evangelical Spiritual Church, demanding an immediate public apology and retraction of statements allegedly made during a church service and later circulated on social media platforms.
According to the legal team, Ayodele made comments suggesting that Kwankwaso was politically insincere and could not be trusted. The lawyers described the statements as false, malicious, and damaging, warning that failure to retract them could lead to a N10 billion lawsuit.
In a demand letter dated June 11, 2026, signed by Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) Magaji Mato Ibrahim and obtained by SaharaReporters on Wednesday, the lawyers claimed the comments had gone viral across social media and news platforms, causing significant reputational damage to the former governor.
The letter stated that Kwankwaso, whom they described as a respected political figure with a distinguished record of public service, had held several high-profile positions, including Governor of Kano State, Minister of Defence, Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Senator, and presidential candidate before becoming Peter Obi’s running mate under the NDC.
According to the legal team, Primate Ayodele allegedly claimed during a sermon that “Kwankwaso is fake to Obi,” while also suggesting that the NDC vice-presidential candidate would eventually betray Obi and had been financially induced to accept the vice-presidential role.
Kwankwaso’s lawyers strongly rejected the allegations, describing them as deliberate, baseless, and aimed at damaging his credibility, integrity, and political standing. They further argued that the statements were capable of creating division within the NDC and misleading members of the public.
The legal team demanded a full and public retraction with equal visibility across all platforms where the comments were circulated. They also requested a written commitment from Ayodele to refrain from making similar statements in the future.
The letter concluded with a warning that failure to comply within the stipulated timeframe would trigger legal proceedings, including a demand for N10 billion in damages.
