Prominent Nigerian cleric, Primate Elijah Ayodele, has cautioned President Bola Tinubu and the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) against taking lightly the growing momentum of the recently formed All Democratic Alliance (ADA), despite mounting criticism over the new party’s logo.
Speaking on Sunday, June 22, the leader of the INRI Evangelical Spiritual Church expressed concerns over the ADA’s choice of using corn (maize) as the centerpiece of its party emblem. He argued that the symbol could diminish the party’s credibility and become a political liability.
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“The coalition has made a mistake by placing ‘agbado’ (corn) in their flag,” Primate Ayodele said. “That’s it. You fail when you don’t have the counsel of God.”
The ADA, which was unveiled earlier this month, is an emerging coalition made up of key political figures opposed to Tinubu’s administration, including northern elites and southern political actors. It is widely seen as a direct challenge to Tinubu’s anticipated bid for a second term in the 2027 general elections.
The party’s maize-themed logo, intended to evoke agricultural prosperity and grassroots appeal, has instead attracted online ridicule and reignited political satire. Critics quickly pointed out its unintended link to President Tinubu’s infamous campaign speeches in 2021 and 2022, where he emphasized “agbado” as a path to economic self-sufficiency—comments that became fodder for comedians and opponents alike.
Despite the controversy, Ayodele urged Tinubu and the APC not to dismiss the ADA’s potential influence in the coming electoral cycle.
“Tinubu must not underestimate this coalition for certain reasons I have been saying,” Ayodele warned. “The logo may be flawed, but the movement behind it should not be ignored.”
