Arise Television anchor Rufai Oseni has publicly challenged and strongly criticised Primate Elijah Ayodele of the INRI Evangelical Spiritual Church for advising President Bola Tinubu to prevent the release of his alleged criminal and investigative records held by the United States Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI).
Speaking on Arise TV’s Morning Show on Tuesday, September 1, 2026, Oseni questioned the propriety of a religious leader counselling a national leader to suppress information about his past, particularly when the matter involves public trust and national reputation.
“Which kind of shepherd tells people to hide their past when it concerns a nation? Which kind of shepherd is saying somebody should do everything to crush a case where integrity has to come?” Oseni asked during the programme. He further questioned whether viewers would accept such advice from Ayodele in their personal lives, adding, “With what Primate Ayodele has said in the past, can you make him shepherd over your life? Can you make him speak words into your life?”
Oseni argued that Tinubu, as the President of Nigeria, should instead take the lead in demanding full transparency. He maintained that the President should waive any privacy protections and push for the unredacted release of the documents so the public can see the full picture.
“Rather than Tinubu hiring lawyers to shut down the process, the president should be the one pushing for full disclosure, telling the world directly: ‘Release whatever they have of me, so that I’ll be able to show to the world that is not what a lot of people think,’” Oseni said.
The journalist also noted that the FBI is unlikely to release a completely unredacted version of the records, suggesting Tinubu may have cooperated with investigators in the past. Nevertheless, he insisted that the moral responsibility now rests with the President to clear the air.
“President Tinubu now belongs to us, the over 200 million Nigerians. It is only fair for him, for the sake of transparency, to even decide to waive his privacy rights. If we don’t get to the end of this document and everything is fully redacted, the air will continue to loom around him,” Oseni stated.
The comments come against the backdrop of ongoing litigation in a United States federal court in Washington, D.C. Tinubu has intervened in a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) case brought by American activist Aaron Greenspan, asking the court to block further release of FBI and Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) records linked to a 1990s Chicago investigation involving alleged drug trafficking and money laundering. Tinubu’s lawyers have cited privacy rights under US law.
Primate Ayodele had reportedly advised the President to take steps to stop the release of the documents, warning of potential political consequences. Oseni’s sharp rebuttal has intensified public debate over accountability, the role of religious leaders in politics, and the balance between personal privacy and the public’s right to know about the background of elected leaders.
No official response from Primate Ayodele or the Presidency to Oseni’s latest remarks had been issued as of Tuesday evening.
About the Author
