…Says it is insensitive and a direct insult on Nigeria Christians
Following the announcement of the Vice President, Kashim Shettima as President Bola Tinubu running mate for the 2027 election, a chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Niger State, Hon. Jonathan Vatsa has said another Muslim-Muslim ticket is a grievous mistake.
Vatsa, who was the pioneer Publicity Secretary of the party in Niger State in a statement, said “Whoever advised the President and the APC to repeat the same Muslim-Muslim ticket for the forthcoming elections did not mean well for the President and the APC”.
It would be recalled thatVatsa had last week appealed to the Niger State Governor, Umar Mohammed Bago to consider a Christian as his running mate in 2027.
He maintained that the situation with Christians in the country can be likened to the biblical saying of a stone the builder rejected. “In our case, the builder surely needs the stone”.
Vatsa categorically stated that the repeat of the 2023 Muslim-Muslim ticket by President Tinubu and the party is a direct insult on Christian community in the country.
According to him “I think this is a grievous mistake by the APC; it is highly insensitive the situation in 2023 is different from what is on ground right now.
“President Tinubu and the ruling party have shot themselves on the leg. And with the current situation in the country, and the insinuations of Christian genocide all over the world about Nigeria, nobody expects the President to repeat this arrangement.
“Nobody can convince the Christian community in the country to vote for APC in 2027 where other political parties have Christians as their Presidential and Vice presidential candidates, it will be a difficult sell.
“What this means is that they have made the campaign very difficult for Christian in the party ahead of the elections. What do you expect us to tell the Christian community, to vote for another Muslim-Muslim ticket?”, he queried.
While describing another Muslim-Muslim ticket in 2027 as unacceptable, Vatsa who was Commissioner for Information, Culture and Tourism said President Tinubu has thrown a great challenge to Christians in the country with his choice.
He said accordingly, “except the President has a different plan towards winning the election apart from the normal balloting, this choice will have a grievous consequences.
“Christians are already feeling unsecured and would be comfortable with a Christian Vice president in 2027, but as things stand now, I am afraid it he will get the support.
Furthermore, Vatsa said the international community is interested in the political development in the country and what will happen in 2027, especially the fate of Christians in the country.
“I have nothing against the Vice President nor the Muslim community but I am speaking for equity, justice and fairness in the political arrangement in the country”, he concluded.”
