Primate Ayodele Predicts Obi, Kwankwaso Will ‘Go Nowhere’ in 2027

Former Kano State governor Rabiu Kwankwaso and former Labour Party presidential candidate Peter Obi

Primate Ayodele Predicts Obi, Kwankwaso Will ‘Go Nowhere’ in 2027

The founder of INRI Evangelical Spiritual Church, Primate Elijah Ayodele, has predicted that the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) presidential ticket of Peter Obi and his running mate, Rabiu Kwankwaso, will not gain traction in the 2027 general election, describing their decision to contest independently as a strategic error that has effectively removed the party from serious electoral calculations. The cleric made the remarks while addressing members of his congregation in a video shared on X, where he criticised the party’s decision to run as a standalone platform despite growing calls for opposition unity ahead of the next presidential poll. According to Ayodele, the NDC would have stood a stronger chance if it had joined forces with the African Democratic Congress (ADC) rather than pursuing what he described as a solo political journey. “You see the NDC party in Nigeria, assuming you can listen. Instead of you going as a solo party, you would have merged with the ADC and formed a coalition,” Ayodele said. He argued that the party’s independent bid had weakened its electoral prospects, insisting that the strategy would not deliver victory in 2027. “But you alone going solo, NDC is not in the calculation. They call it OK but I’m not seeing anything okay. I do not see ‘OK’ (Obi and Kwankwaso) going anywhere in the 2027 Presidential election,” he added.

Obi and Kwankwaso defected from the ADC to the NDC in May 2026, citing persistent internal divisions and ongoing legal disputes within the party as reasons for their decision to seek a new political platform. Their move altered the opposition landscape, with the NDC subsequently adopting the Obi-Kwankwaso ticket for the 2027 presidential election, while the ADC picked former Vice President Atiku Abubakar as its presidential candidate. Obi previously served as Atiku’s running mate in the 2019 presidential election under the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). The election was won by the late former President Muhammadu Buhari of the All Progressives Congress (APC). The two politicians later parted ways after Obi left the PDP for the Labour Party ahead of the 2023 presidential election, where he emerged as the party’s candidate. In the 2023 poll, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu of the APC was declared winner, defeating Atiku, who contested on the PDP platform, while Obi finished third. In the build-up to the 2027 election, Obi, Atiku, and other opposition leaders initially rallied around the ADC in an attempt to forge a broad coalition aimed at unseating President Tinubu. However, the alliance later collapsed following irreconcilable differences among key stakeholders, prompting Obi and Kwankwaso to leave the party with their supporters for the NDC. Ayodele maintained that the decision to leave the coalition arrangement had significantly weakened the NDC’s electoral prospects, as opposition parties seeking to challenge the ruling establishment require a united front rather than fragmented political structures capable of splitting votes.

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Despite Ayodele’s prediction, the NDC’s national leader, Senator Seriake Dickson, has expressed openness to coalition discussions with other opposition parties ahead of the 2027 elections. Speaking on Channels Television’s Sunday Politics, Dickson said the party would be open to conversations within the opposition space, though he insisted that any eventual coalition should back the NDC’s already-nominated candidates. “As an opposition leader, we will be open to coalition discussions. Our party, the NDC, will be open to conversations within that space. We hope that whatever discussions take place will lead to the NDC candidates being backed because we know the value of the candidates we are putting forward,” Dickson said. He also dismissed insinuations that the NDC would be unable to challenge President Tinubu and the APC in 2027, arguing that the ruling party would be “defeated massively” in a free and fair electoral contest.

Ayodele’s prediction is not an isolated voice of doubt. Senator Rufa’i Hanga, who represents Kano Central Senatorial District, has also declared that the NDC presidential ticket of Obi and Kwankwaso stands little chance of winning the 2027 election. Speaking during an interview with Freedom Radio, Hanga argued that neither Obi nor Kwankwaso commands the nationwide support required to secure victory. “In the North, Obi has Kwankwaso as running mate, and Kwankwaso is only popular in Kano. Even now, his popularity is 50/50 because previously, while we were in the ADC, we had people in Katsina, Jigawa and Kaduna, but those people refused to join us in the NDC and remained in the ADC,” Hanga said. He further claimed that Obi’s political strength is largely concentrated in Anambra State and parts of southern Nigeria, while arguing that the ADC candidate, Atiku Abubakar, would have a better chance of defeating President Tinubu in the North-West and North-East due to growing public dissatisfaction over insecurity and economic hardship.

This is not the first time Primate Ayodele has voiced concerns about the Obi-Kwankwaso alliance. In June 2026, he warned that Kwankwaso would “destroy” Obi’s presidential ambition, alleging that the former Kano governor was pursuing personal interests rather than a genuine commitment to Obi’s success. “Peter Obi doesn’t listen to divine instructions, and because of this, he has fallen into the wrong hands for his ambition. Kwankwaso isn’t ready to fight for him; he will eventually sell him out, but he doesn’t know it yet,” Ayodele said at the time. The remarks sparked a legal backlash, with Kwankwaso issuing a 24-hour ultimatum to Ayodele, demanding an immediate retraction and public apology, and threatening a N10 billion defamation lawsuit. However, Ayodele stood by his prophecy, clarifying that he was merely conveying a divine message and had no personal grievance against Kwankwaso. “I have never met Senator Kwankwaso, nor have I had any personal issues with him. Therefore, there is absolutely no reason for me to deliberately target or attack him,” Ayodele said through his media aide. He maintained that his prophecies are based solely on divine revelations and not influenced by personal relationships or grievances. In his prophecy book, Warnings To The Nations 2026/2027 Edition, Ayodele further detailed the fate of the three leading candidates, predicting that the 2027 election would largely be contested between President Tinubu and Atiku Abubakar, with Obi being “robbed” of votes in some parts of the country. He stated that Obi would struggle in the North and that Northern voters would ultimately determine the election’s outcome. The cleric also predicted that President Tinubu would be defeated in the 2027 election, claiming that “monetary inducements and food distribution will not secure victory” for him. He alleged that Tinubu had been “blindfolded spiritually” and was relying on people who would disappoint him, including some state governors.

As the 2027 election approaches, the opposition landscape remains fragmented. The NDC is now positioning itself as a major challenger, but the departure of key figures like Senator Hanga, who is reportedly considering defecting to the APC, has raised questions about the party’s stability and nationwide reach. Meanwhile, the NDC’s leadership insists that the party remains a formidable force and has not been deregistered despite a recent court ruling that some interpreted as a setback. Dickson has expressed confidence that all NDC candidates will appear on the ballot in 2027. Ayodele’s latest prediction, coming from a figure whose political prophecies have often stirred public debate, adds another layer of uncertainty to an already fluid political environment. Whether the NDC can overcome the challenges highlighted by the cleric and other critics, or whether it will eventually heed calls for a broader opposition coalition, remains to be seen as the countdown to the 2027 polls continues. Ayodele’s predictions have drawn mixed reactions from political observers and the public, with some dismissing them as speculative while others view them as significant commentary on the country’s political landscape. No official response has been issued by the NDC or the politicians mentioned at the time of filing this report.