President Bola Tinubu has officially presented Vice President Kashim Shettima with a certificate confirming his nomination as the All Progressives Congress (APC) vice-presidential candidate for the 2027 presidential election.
The presentation followed the APC’s confirmation of Shettima as Tinubu’s running mate for the next general election.
The event became public on Thursday after the President’s Special Assistant on Social Media, Olusegun Dada, shared a video on his social media pages showing Shettima arriving at the venue, exchanging brief remarks with Tinubu and receiving the certificate.
Sharing the video, Dada wrote: “President Bola Ahmed Tinubu presents certificate to Vice President Kashim Shettima as his running mate in 2027 election.”
He also dismissed reports suggesting uncertainty over Shettima’s position, saying: “At no point was the Vice President’s place in this administration under any doubt. People just create scenarios in their head and start cooking.”
The certificate presentation follows the APC’s recent endorsement of Shettima as Tinubu’s running mate, ending months of speculation over who would represent the party as its vice-presidential candidate.
The ruling party has expressed confidence that the Tinubu-Shettima ticket will seek a second term in the 2027 election after completing its nomination process ahead of the deadline for submission to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
The certificate presentation forms part of the party’s preparations for the 2027 general election.
Reverend Ezekiel Dachomo, Regional Chairman of the Church of Christ in Nations (COCIN) in Barkin Ladi Local Government Area in Plateau State has said he has received a threatening letter from suspected Fulani herdsmen vowing to attack and kill him along with members of his household.
Dachomo made the disclosure in a video shared on his X account, following fresh attacks on communities in the state by suspected armed herdsmen.
He claimed the letter, written in both Hausa and English, was sent by the herdsmen and that copies have been distributed to heads of various security agencies in the state.
In the video, the cleric quoted the letter’s senders as saying they would kill him and nine members of his household, just as they allegedly killed nine of his relatives.
Reverend Ezekiel Dachomo
“A few days ago, Fulani herdsmen sent a threatening letter to me and to members of my church. The letter was written in both Hausa and English, and its message was terrifying.
“They vowed to attack me and kill me soon, just as they killed nine of my relatives. Copies of these threatening letters have already been handed over to the security operatives,” Dachomo said.
Despite the threats, Dachomo said he remains unafraid, placing his life in God’s hands.
“Many people have asked me if I am afraid. My answer is no. I am not afraid because my life is in the hands of Almighty God,” he stated.
Rev Dachomo in Plateau community
“The Lord is on my side; I will not fear. What can man do unto me?”
The reverend recounted the profound personal losses he has endured from recent attacks, describing the pain of conducting burials for loved ones and comforting families who lost parents and relatives.
“I know what it means to bury those I love. I know what it means to wipe the tears of children who watched their parents murdered. I know what it means to stand before grieving families whose only crime was refusing to deny Jesus Christ,” he said.
“Now they say I will be next. But I ask the world, what is my crime? Is my crime that I speak for widows who have no voice? Is my crime that I cry for orphaned children whose parents were murdered? Is my crime that I tell the stories of persecuted Christians in Nigeria so the world will not forget them?”
“If that is my crime, then I will continue until my last breath,” Dachomo added.
He emphasized that killing him would not silence the truth. The cleric called on the world to remember the victims and support justice for persecuted Christians.
“Remember the widows. Remember the orphans. Remember the innocent Christians who continue to suffer simply because of their faith. Stand with us in prayer. Stand with us in truth. Stand with us in demanding justice for every innocent life,” he urged.
“If one day my voice is silenced, let the world remember that I never carried a weapon. My only weapon was the truth. My only mission was to defend the persecuted.”
A Federal High Court in Abuja has struck out a suit seeking to compel the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, to recognise and publish the names of the Kabiru Turaki-led Interim National Working Committee of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
Justice Salim Ibrahim, in a judgement delivered on Friday, held that the plaintiffs, led by the Chairman of the PDP Board of Trustees, Senator Adolphus Wabara, lacked the legal standing to institute the suit and consequently struck it out for want of jurisdiction.
The court upheld the preliminary objection filed by INEC and sustained similar objections raised by parties seeking to be joined in the suit, ruling that the plaintiffs failed to establish that INEC had recognised the purported Interim National Working Committee or that they had the authority to sue on behalf of the PDP.