• Rev. Ezekiel Dachomo has denied reports that he prayed for President Bola Tinubu and Vice President Kashim Shettima to win the 2027 presidential election.
• The COCIN regional chairman said reports suggesting he supported a Muslim-Muslim ticket had misconstrued a prayer he made for Nigeria.
• Dachomo said his prayers are for both Muslims and Christians and maintained that his focus is on Nigeria’s success rather than the victory of a particular political ticket.

Rev. Ezekiel Dachomo, the Regional Chairman of the Church of Christ in Nations (COCIN) in Barkin Ladi Local Government Area of Plateau State, has rejected reports claiming that he prayed for President Bola Tinubu and Vice President Kashim Shettima to secure victory in the 2027 presidential election.

The cleric said the reports had misrepresented the meaning of a social media post in which he prayed for Nigeria, insisting that he did not endorse the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential ticket.

What Triggered the Controversy

Reports circulating in some quarters had alleged that Dachomo prayed for the electoral success of Tinubu and Shettima and supported the continuation of the Muslim-Muslim presidential ticket ahead of the 2027 election.

The allegation followed a prayer the cleric shared on social media concerning Nigeria.

Dachomo, however, said the interpretation attached to his message was not what he intended.

According to him, his prayer was directed at the wellbeing and success of Nigeria and was not a political endorsement of either Tinubu or Shettima.

Dachomo Explains His Position

In a post on his Facebook page on Monday, Dachomo described the reports as an attempt to frame him.

The cleric, who is currently in Israel for what he described as his first-ever International Christian Advocacy Tour, said the trip was aimed at drawing the attention of world leaders to the alleged persecution of Christians in Plateau State.

He said some people had misconstrued his social media message and wrongly interpreted his prayer for Nigeria as a prayer for Tinubu’s re-election in 2027.

What He Said About Tinubu and Shettima

Dachomo specifically rejected the claim that he prayed for Tinubu and Shettima to win the next presidential election.

He said there was nothing in his statement indicating that he was praying for the two political leaders to secure victory in 2027.

“People are trying to frame me, saying I prayed for a Muslim-Muslim ticket. But I did not, and I will never pray for a Muslim-Muslim ticket because Nigeria belongs to both Muslims and Christians,” he said.

The cleric’s statement drew a distinction between praying for the country and endorsing a particular political arrangement.

His Prayer Was for Nigeria, He Says

Dachomo maintained that his prayers are not limited to one religious group and said he prays for both Muslims and Christians in Nigeria.

“I pray for both Muslims and Christians in Nigeria. I pray for Nigeria to succeed. If you truly want to come to God, come with a clean heart,” he said.

He also reiterated that his message was not intended to campaign for the President or Vice President ahead of the 2027 election.

“I did not pray for President Tinubu and Vice President Shettima to win in 2027. My prayers have always been for Nigeria to succeed,” Dachomo added.

The cleric’s position, as stated in his response, is that his prayer for Nigeria should not be interpreted as an endorsement of Tinubu, Shettima or the Muslim-Muslim ticket ahead of the 2027 presidential election.