Jonathan Vatsa, an APC chieftain and former Commissioner for Information, Culture and Tourism in Niger State, has cautioned Governor Mohammed Umar Bago regarding the upcoming 2027 governorship race. Vatsa insists that the party must nominate a Christian as a running mate to avoid alienating Christian voters who feel sidelined.
During a media briefing in Minna on Saturday, Vatsa highlighted that the most recent primary elections resulted in an overwhelmingly Muslim slate of candidates. He noted that out of the party’s tickets, only one Christian candidate was selected for the State House of Assembly. The rest of the candidates for the Senate, House of Representatives, and the Assembly are Muslim.
Vatsa also expressed concern over the lack of Christian representation in government appointments and local leadership positions. He suggested that symbolic gestures, such as visiting churches, are insufficient; he emphasized that true equity requires genuine inclusion in political appointments and electoral opportunities.
The former official warned that failure to correct this imbalance could jeopardize the party’s electoral performance. He believes that selecting a Christian deputy candidate is essential for building trust and could prevent opposition parties from capitalizing on the current dissatisfaction within the Christian community.
