Kwankwaso threatens N10bn lawsuit against Primate Ayodele over alleged defamation.

By Henry Umoru

The Vice‑Presidential candidate for the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) and former Governor of Kano State, Senator Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, has issued a threat of legal action against Primate Babatunde Elijah Ayodele of the INRI Evangelical Spiritual Church. Kwankwaso demands a retraction and apology for what he says are defamatory remarks made by the cleric.

Through a legal notice sent by his lawyers and released by his media aide, Hon. Saifullahi Hassan, Kwankwaso warned that he would seek N10 billion in damages if Ayodele does not retract the statements within 24 hours. The notice states that Ayodele allegedly called Kwankwaso “fake to Obi” and claimed that the former governor had been paid to accept the vice‑presidential position on the NDC ticket.

The letter, dated 11 June 2026, accuses Primate Ayodele of making “false, malicious and defamatory” remarks during a public sermon that was reportedly livestreamed and widely shared on social media and news platforms.

Defending Kwankwaso’s reputation, the legal team highlighted his decades of public service and political leadership, noting his roles as governor, minister, senator, deputy speaker of the House of Representatives, presidential candidate and now vice‑presidential candidate.

In the letter the team wrote: “Our client’s attention has been drawn to your viral publication which is trending on all social media platforms and in international and local news outlets, wherein you published malicious and defamatory contents against him geared toward tarnishing his long‑earned reputation in Nigeria and beyond.”

The team further argued that the comments portray Kwankwaso as deceitful, insincere and politically unreliable, potentially damaging both his personal reputation and unity within the NDC. They described the allegations as “deliberate, premeditated, false, unprovoked, grossly unfounded and unsubstantiated.”

In its demands, the notice calls on Primate Ayodele to publish a full and unequivocal retraction and apology across all platforms where the statements appeared, ensuring that the correction receives the same prominence as the original publication. The lawyers also request a written undertaking that the cleric will refrain from making or republishing similar statements in the future.

The letter warns that failure to comply within the stipulated period will leave Kwankwaso with no option but to initiate legal proceedings seeking N10 billion in damages, legal costs and other reliefs deemed appropriate by the court.

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