After May 29, Nigeria’s economy will remain unbalanced —Primate Ayodele

In this interview, head of the Inri Evangelical Spiritual Church, Primate Elijah Ayodele, tells Sunday Tribune that, among many other issues, Nigeria’s economy will retain its instability despite the change of administration from May 29.

 

There are several insinuations going around that there may likely be an interim government from May 29. What do you say to this?

May 29 has come to stay. They will swear in whoever they want to swear in. There will not be any interim government. This is democracy, nobody can truncate it. May 29 has come to stay. In whatever way, I do not see Peter Obi, the presidential candidate of the Labour Party, coming out victorious. Obi is not in the equation as I see it. Although the elections were fraudulent, with many irregularities, there are no disputes about that, what the Lord said to me is that there will be swearing in on May 29, there will be no interim government. I do not see Peter Obi in the equation. If anything will happen in the court, it will be between the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

More so, at the tribunal, there will be a lot of discrepancies. There will be so many eyesores, so much fraud will be perpetrated but at the end of the day, the judges will come out to give their verdict. The verdict may cause some uprisings, protests and upheavals. Whatever becomes the outcome of the verdict, those who would protest would be taking the wrong approach. The protest will only expose the malpractices of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC). It would also expose corruption among judges. Some judges will be indicted during and after the tribunal sittings.

The Muslim-Muslim ticket is not approved by God yet. If it is not handled properly and the needful done, it will jeopardise the unity of the country in the nearest future. It will create a lot of vacuum and Christians in Nigeria will be blamed for this. Religion will become a criterion for any elective position.

Also I see Orji Uzor Kalu as one who would manage the 10th Senate properly. But if it eludes him, I have said it before now that if the presidency eludes the Igbo, it would take many more years for them to get it. If Kalu does not get the Senate presidency, I do not see any Igbo getting it and a Muslim may get it again and it may also be another northerner. The same thing goes to the speakership of the House of Representatives. If care is not taken, it will also go to a Muslim.

The Muslim-Muslim ticket is not approved by God and it is not what God wants. It is what Nigerians want. It will not be palatable. Things will not be meaningful. Christians will pay for this dearly. As a matter of fact, that is why we must pray against ethnic crises and religious crises that are imminent in the country. The Muslim-Muslim ticket will bring Nigeria backward. It is doom for the nation.  Our democracy will continue to be unsure except we do the needful. It is sad but I don’t see this government restructuring anything.  It is not ready for any amendments. This will affect the incoming government and in subsequent elections. If Peter Obi chooses to listen, he may become the president in the future. But this is the beginning of his race to become president.

I foretold it that the chairman of the PDP, Ayu, would be removed from office. I am also saying that the chairman of the APC, Adamu, will be removed. There will be a lot of junketing in the APC. The APC members will also have their share of crises. If the right people are not put in appropriate committees and headships, the 10th Senate will not be productive.  The opposition party can be relevant if they come together and do something meaningful.

President Muhammadu Buhari is not ready to spend an extra day after May 29. He will hand over power on May 29. I see darkness covering the atmosphere of the country. We must seek the face of God for the new government that is coming. I do not see light in this coming government. Yet I repeat that there won’t be an interim government. There will be handing over of power on May 29.

The international community will continue to raise eyebrows against Nigeria. Those who don’t believe in Nigeria will show it that they don’t believe in Nigeria. A lot of blackmailing will rock the incoming government. Despite this fact, the incoming administration will want to do a lot, these blackmails will continue.  There will be more clamours of referendum and constitutional amendments.  Some bodies will demand for total breakaways in Nigeria.

 

Should Nigerians expect an improved economy from the next administration?

The economy of the country will remain unbalanced.  I see total confusion if the choice of God is not enthroned and justice not allowed in the nation. This will bring Nigeria backward. What this government must do immediately is restructuring and it must also fight corruption.  Some governors will be exposed, some ministers will be exposed. I do not see what the incoming government will do to improve the economy. The economy is already in shambles. In the next two years, we may not get the economy right except we continue to deceive ourselves. The naira redesign will not make any impact because the government of the new Central Bank of Nigeria will want to change the naira redesign policy. It will easily bring Nigeria into a very big debt. It will not achieve any purpose. We are still going to buy petrol for about N600 per liter. The prices of diesel and the exchange rate of the dollar to the naira will go up.  The prices of essential commodities will also go up.

 

What about in the area of education?

The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) will still be at loggerheads with the new government. There will also be issues with the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC).

 

In a historic legal battle, former president of the United States, Donald Trump, is in court. What should be expected?

I predicted a long time ago that Donald Trump will face a lot of issues even outside office. But despite his challenges, he would still come out in the next election to contest. Meanwhile, if care is not taken, he can go to jail. He should handle this matter very well. The Donald Trump imbroglio will bring the United States of America into a round of political crises. There will be tension, killings.

Also before now, I predicted the dilemma of the United Kingdom and particularly Scotland. Scotland will break out of the United Kingdom. With the new government in Scotland, there will be a referendum that will pull Scotland out of the United Kingdom. I do not see the United Kingdom continuing as it is.

 

How about post-election tribunals in various states here in Nigeria?

Nobody should take the incoming governor in Abia State, Alex Otti, to court. Whoever does so cannot win. The PDP can still reclaim Kaduna State if certain drastic steps are taken. In Ogun State, if the PDP is strategically placed, it can still regain power. But the PDP there is not serious. However, nobody can remove Seyi Makinde because people love him. Whoever decides to fight for Makinde’s removal is merely wasting their time. In Taraba State, whoever takes the incoming governor to court is merely wasting their time. The same thing applies to Lagos. Nobody can take over Lagos State for now no matter the loopholes. The same thing applies to Akwa Ibom.

 

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