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

Dachomo, who is currently in Israel on what he described as his first International Christian Advocacy Tour, said his visit was aimed at drawing the attention of world leaders to the plight of Christians in Plateau.

The cleric made the clarification in a social media post on Monday night following reports that he had prayed for the success of the All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential ticket and expressed support for the Muslim-Muslim ticket.

Dachomo said his earlier post, in which he prayed for Nigeria, had been misconstrued as an endorsement of Tinubu and Shettima ahead of the 2027 election.

According to him, there was nowhere in the post where he prayed for the President and Vice-President to win the election.

“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.

Dachomo said his prayers were for the well-being and success of Nigeria and its citizens, irrespective of their religious affiliations.

“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 added.

The cleric further stated, “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’s clarification came amid reactions to his ongoing advocacy tour in Israel, where he is seeking international attention to security challenges and what he described as the persecution of Christians in Plateau.

An helicopter crashed into a swamp near Naval Base in Igbokoda, the headquarters of Ilaje Local Government Area of Ondo State, on Monday.

By Eric Elezuo

All Lagos State-owned universities through their Joint Action Committee (JAC) of staff unions have embarked on an immediate and indefinite strike in fulfilment of their threat to do same last Friday.

The institutions are downing tools over the non-Implementation of the renogotiated ASSU/FGN agreement of 2026 as involves the Lago State government.

The affected universities include Lagos State University, Ojo, the Lagos State University of Education, the Lagos State University of Science and Technology and the Lagos State University College of Medicine.

Our correspondent reports that major entrances of the institutions have been put unde lock and key with restrictions to entry into the campuses.

At LASU, members of the JAC were seen in their numbers locking up gates, and enforcing the strike action.

Recall that the unions issued a threat on Friday during a press conference held at the Lagos State University (LASU), Ojo Campus.

The conference was addressed by the Chairman of JAC and Academic Staff Union of University (ASUU-LASU), Prof. Ibrahim Bakare.

JAC comprises the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU), the National Association of Academic Technologists and the Non-Academic Staff Union of Educational and Allied Institutions (NASU).

In his address during the briefing, Bakare said the unions’ final seven-day ultimatum to the Lagos State Government expired at midnight of Friday.

He said the unions had exhausted all avenues of dialogue over the implementation of the 2026 Federal Government and staff unions’ agreements.

“We have exhausted every possible means to avert declaration of industrial action across state-owned universities in Lagos State,” Bakare said.

He said the crisis resulted from bureaucratic delays, shifting goalposts and a lack of executive action on the agreements.

According to him, JAC had engaged relevant government ministries since July 30 to resolve the issues through dialogue.

He said a technical committee comprising government and JAC representatives reached consensus on the implementation of various allowances on Aug. 18.

Bakare said the agreed terms included 40 per cent Consolidated Academic Tools Allowance for ASUU and 35 per cent allowances for SSANU and NASU.

He said the parties subsequently signed a communiqué on Aug. 31, committing to implementation from September 2026 and payment of eight months’ arrears.

“September salaries were paid without the implementation of the agreed rates and the outstanding arrears,” he said.

Bakare said the non-implementation had increased the outstanding arrears to nine months, covering January to September 2026.

He said JAC was demanding immediate executive approval and implementation of the signed 2026 agreements without further alteration or delay.

Bakare said the unions also demanded payment of nine months’ arrears, non-taxation of applicable allowances and implementation of the 15 per cent Lagos factor.

He added that the unions demanded fulfilment of outstanding commitments, including a 20 per cent salary increment and release of five Marcopolo buses promised to state-owned universities.

Bakare said the unions had demonstrated restraint and repeatedly chosen dialogue in spite of the challenges, instead of disrupting academic activities.

“However, our patience has been pushed to the absolute limit,” he said.

He had warned that failure of the state government to act before midnight of Friday would trigger “an immediate, total and indefinite strike” across Lagos State-owned universities.

Bakare had also appealed to traditional rulers, religious leaders, parents and students to urge the government to resolve the matter before the deadline.

Much as the unions maintained open channel for further negotiations and interventions, the Lagos State government nor any other body was not forthcoming before the final shutdown of the universities on Monday.

The Lagos State government is yet to issue a statement in response as at press time.