A group of Christian members of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Niger State has appealed to Governor Mohammed Umaru Bago to choose a Christian as his running mate for the 2027 governorship election, warning that ignoring the demand could lead to protest votes against the party.
The group, known as Concerned Christians in Niger State, said its call was based on the need for fairness, representation and equal participation, expressing concerns over what it described as the exclusion of Christians from influential positions within the APC in the state.
Addressing journalists on behalf of the coalition, its co-convener and former Commissioner for Information, Jonathan Vatsa, accused the Bago administration and the party of marginalising Christian aspirants during the APC primaries by allegedly forcing some to step down from their political ambitions.
Vatsa said Christian members were seeking a more balanced representation in the party, adding that they may be compelled to support another political platform if the APC fails to field a Christian deputy governorship candidate in 2027.
“We are appealing to Governor Mohammed Bago and other key stakeholders of the All Progressives Congress to ensure the emergence of a Christian running mate for the 2027 governorship election,” he said.
He added that the group opposed the continuation of a Muslim-Muslim governorship ticket, citing the contributions and population of Christians in the state.
According to Vatsa, Christians make up over 45 per cent of Niger State’s population but have remained underrepresented in elective offices.
He alleged that Christian politicians were sidelined during the recent APC primaries, claiming that several qualified aspirants were forced to withdraw due to religious considerations.
The former commissioner further alleged that all 25 APC local government chairmen in the state are Muslims, while nearly all vice-chairmen are also Muslims. He also claimed that the party’s senatorial candidates, House of Representatives candidates, and most House of Assembly candidates for the 2027 elections are Muslims.
Vatsa argued that the deputy governorship position should be allocated to a Christian from Zone B, which he said has a substantial Christian population.
“We supported your governorship ambition in 2023. This time, we want an APC ticket that represents fairness, equity and inclusiveness by choosing a Christian as your deputy,” he said.
Meanwhile, the coalition’s secretary, Jude Johnson, said some Christian APC members were unhappy with the possibility of another Muslim-Muslim ticket.
Johnson described the demand as a matter of equity, insisting that Christians had the right to seek greater representation in the state’s political leadership.
“Accepting another four years of a Muslim-Muslim ticket politically, economically, educationally and socially is not acceptable to us,” he said.