“My Prayers Were For Peace And Justice”- Rev. Dachomo Responds To VDM Over Tinubu Prayer Video

• Rev. Ezekiel Dachomo, Regional Chairman of COCIN in Barkin Ladi, denied allegations of praying for President Tinubu and the APC to win the 2027 elections.
• The denial came after a video by activist Martins Vincent Otse (VDM) questioned Dachomo’s stance on the Tinubu administration.
• The controversy highlights concerns over perceived political endorsements by religious leaders.

The Regional Chairman of the Church of Christ in Nations (COCIN) in Barkin Ladi Local Government Area of Plateau State, Rev. Ezekiel Dachomo, has denied allegations that he prayed for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Vice President Kashim Shettima and the All Progressives Congress (APC) to win the 2027 general election.

The cleric’s response followed a video shared by social media activist Martins Vincent Otse, popularly known as VeryDarkMan (VDM), on Monday, in which he questioned Dachomo’s alleged change of position regarding the Tinubu administration.

VDM recalled the cleric’s previous efforts to draw international attention to reported killings of Christians in Plateau State and other parts of Nigeria’s Middle Belt.

According to the activist, Dachomo was expected to use his visit to Israel to bring the issue to the attention of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and other world leaders.

However, VDM alleged that the cleric focused on praying for Tinubu and the APC government ahead of the 2027 elections instead of addressing the concerns he had previously raised.

The activist also suggested that the presidency might have reached out to Dachomo and facilitated his trip to Israel, alleging that the cleric had been compromised.

VDM further questioned the cleric’s alleged change of stance, pointing to his previous criticisms of the government over insecurity and concerns about the Muslim-Muslim presidential ticket.

Reacting to the allegations, Dachomo dismissed claims that he prayed for Tinubu, Shettima and the APC to emerge victorious in the 2027 elections.

In a statement shared on his social media accounts, the cleric accused those linking him to the president’s re-election campaign of misrepresenting the purpose of his prayers in Israel.

He explained that his prayers centred on peace in Nigeria, divine intervention against evil and the protection of communities affected by violence.

Dachomo also maintained that he prayed against electoral malpractice rather than asking God to secure victory for any political party.

Responding directly to VDM’s claim, the cleric questioned what kind of success he was alleged to have prayed for, insisting that he wanted those planning to rig the elections to fail.

He said:

“My dear brethren, I greet you all in the name of Jesus Christ, our Saviour.

“I heard that VDM shared a video saying I prayed for President Bola Tinubu, Vice President Kashim Shettima and the APC Muslim-Muslim ticket to succeed in the 2027 election.

“You are just saying, ‘Rev. Dachomo has prayed for success.’ Which success? The success of rigging elections?

“While Muslim-Muslim ticket supporters are thinking of rigging elections, the only thing I am praying for is that they should fail in their evil deeds. Let them fail in their evil thinking. Let the evil ones in Nigeria fail woefully in whatever they are doing,” he said.

Dachomo also cautioned Tinubu’s campaign organisation against allegedly using his name to promote the president’s re-election bid.

According to the cleric, associating him with a political campaign without accurately representing his position amounts to an injustice against the president.

He reiterated that he was against electoral manipulation and called for divine intervention against anyone who might attempt to rig the 2027 elections.

“To the campaign organisation of Tinubu, anybody who is using my name wrongly for campaigns is doing a great injustice to Tinubu. You evil men are saying I use my name to say I pray for Tinubu.

“I pray that any evil spirit that will lure this government into rigging elections will catch fire. Any satanic power that will raise thugs to rig elections, let it catch fire so that justice will prevail.

“Any spirit or person that is going to rig these elections, let the wrath of God destroy their evil plans,” the cleric added.

Beyond the controversy surrounding the 2027 elections, the COCIN regional chairman emphasised the importance of justice, peaceful coexistence and mutual respect between Christians and Muslims in Nigeria.

He maintained that his desire was to see Nigerians live together in love, protect one another and work towards a society where people are treated fairly regardless of their religious beliefs.

“We need justice. We need the fear of God in both Muslims and Christians so that we can live lives of love and protect one another. That is what my heart desires,” he wrote.

See post below: