Public affairs commentator Mahdi Shehu has sharply criticised Primate Elijah Ayodele over his recent prophecy alleging a coup plot against President Bola Tinubu, describing the cleric’s revelation as attention-seeking and influenced by a false spirit.
In a post shared on X (formerly Twitter) on Wednesday, Shehu dismissed Ayodele’s claim as reckless and potentially dangerous, urging Nigerians to disregard it entirely.
Primate Ayodele had reportedly prophesied in an online publication that “some powerful Nigerians are plotting to remove President Tinubu through a coup” between November 2025 and January 2026.
“He Should Be Treated as an Accessory” — Shehu
Reacting to the prophecy, Shehu said that in a law-abiding society, the cleric should be compelled to reveal details of the alleged plot, including names of those involved, since such a claim amounts to knowledge of a treasonable offence.
“In a normal society where suspects are not cherry-picked, the primate must provide further details in public, including names, because he seems to know more than many Nigerians,” Shehu stated.
He further advised Nigerians to treat Ayodele’s “so-called spiritual alert” with caution and maturity, warning that such prophecies often exploit public fear and political tension.
“Before the primate is treated in the right manner, if he ever will be, all right-thinking Nigerians must ignore him and treat his so-called spiritual alert with caution,” he wrote.
“Beware of False Prophets”
Citing several Bible verses, Shehu reminded Christians to be wary of false prophets and deceptive spirits who claim divine authority without truth.
“The Bible warned people against false prophets and speculation. Not everyone who claims to speak by the Spirit of God is truthful,” he said.
Double Standards and Hypocrisy
The commentator also accused Nigerians of double standards, arguing that public and media reactions would have been more severe if a Muslim cleric had made a similar statement.
“If a sheikh or malam had made such a claim, the whole country would be in uproar, with calls for his arrest and even tribunal trial,” Shehu asserted.
He stressed that a coup is never an option, even in the face of poor governance or democratic flaws.
“Even the naive Nigerians are aware that coup is never an option, even in the face of the most stupid brand of democracy,” he added.
“Nigeria Is Full of Fake Alarms”
Concluding his statement, Shehu described Nigeria as a country overwhelmed by fake alarms and hypocrisy, urging citizens not to be misled by divisive or baseless prophecies.
“Nigeria has become a land of false alerts and deceit. Citizens must stay discerning and avoid being manipulated by spiritual sensationalism,” he said.
