Primate Ayodele warns Tinubu's borrowing strategy will cost 2027 election, urges resource-based economy

Primate Elijah Ayodele of INRI Evangelical Spiritual Church claims Finance Minister Taiwo Oyedele is misleading President Tinubu on economic policy, warning that continued borrowing will shrink Tinubu's 2027 re-election chances. In a statement Friday signed by media aide Osho Oluwatosin, Ayodele argued Nigeria's mineral resources should fund development instead of recurring loans from financial institutions.

Ayodele stated the country faces serious debt while the economy deteriorates despite borrowings. He specifically warned the CBN governor and finance minister against using tax revenue to generate income, saying Oyedele's advised policies "will not help Nigeria" and the economy "will burst if care isn't taken."

The prophet urged Tinubu to prioritize debt settlement over new borrowing and focus on "economic buoyancy" through domestic resource mobilization. This criticism adds to growing pressure on Tinubu's economic team from religious leaders, labor unions, and opposition figures who argue current policies deepen hardship.

With inflation above 30% and the naira under pressure, Ayodele's intervention reflects widespread anxiety about borrowing sustainability. The presidency has not responded to the specific allegations.

Can Nigeria's mineral wealth realistically replace borrowing in the near term, or is this criticism ignoring structural revenue gaps?

SOURCE: https://dailypost.ng/2026/11/06/finance-minister-advising-tinubu-wrongly-primate-ayodele-reveals/