The Leader of the INRI Evangelical Spiritual Church, Primate Elijah Ayodele, has criticized Nigeria’s First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, over what he described as her lack of visible intervention following the abduction of pupils and teachers in Oyo State, warning that the development could negatively affect President Bola Tinubu’s re-election prospects in 2027.
Speaking during a sermon that has since gone viral online, the cleric expressed concern over the continued captivity of pupils and teachers abducted from three schools in Oriire Local Government Area of Oyo State on May 15.
Ayodele argued that the First Lady should have publicly demonstrated greater concern for the victims and their families, drawing comparisons with the response of former First Lady Patience Jonathan during the 2014 Chibok schoolgirls’ abduction.
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According to him, the First Lady’s involvement in political activities and support mobilization efforts while the abductees remain in captivity has created negative public perception.
“Remi Tinubu, you will make Tinubu lose the 2027 election. You did not behave like a mother at all. You should have done what Jonathan’s wife did,” Ayodele stated during the sermon.
The cleric further alleged that Senator Tinubu had not taken visible steps to advocate for the release of the abducted children, insisting that the welfare and safety of the victims should have taken precedence over political engagements.
His comments come days after the First Lady participated in the inauguration of the Tinubu Torchbearers (TTB), a pro-Tinubu support group, at the State House Banquet Hall in Abuja, where vehicles were donated to women leaders of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in several opposition-controlled states.
Ayodele warned that prioritizing political campaigns amid growing security concerns could alienate voters and erode public confidence ahead of the 2027 general election.
The remarks have added to ongoing public discussions surrounding the Oyo school abduction, which has continued to attract national attention and calls for intensified efforts to secure the release of the victims.
As of the time of filing this report, there has been no official response from the Office of the First Lady regarding the cleric’s comments.
