By Suleiman Anyalewechi
A Chieftain of the All Progressive Congress, APC, and former Niger State Commissioner for Information, Culture and Tourism, Hon Jonathan Vatsa, has warned that nobody can persuade the Christian family in the country to vote for the party’s Muslim-Muslim ticket again in 2027.
Vatsa’s warning is coming against the backdrop of the APC’s approval of the same 2023 Tinubu/Shettima Muslim-Muslim ticket ahead of the 2027 general elections.
The Source reports that contrary to widespread insinuations, the APC National Chairman, Prof Nentawe Yilwaltda, in a statement shared on his official site Friday, disclosed that the party has settled for the same president Bola Tinubu/Vice President Kashim Shettima ticket that earned it electoral victory in 2023.
The decision of the party, however, came against the grains of speculations suggesting that it may have concluded plans to abandon the controversial ticket.
In a statement on Saturday in Minna, Vatsa pointedly described the repeat of the Muslim-Muslim ticket by the APC as a direct affront to the Christian Community in the country.
This is as he insisted that the same 2023 Muslim-Muslim ticket will not be tolerated in 2027.
Vatsa further described the APC ticket adventure as “a grievous mistake” going by the present realities on the ground.
“I think this is a grievous mistake by the APC to have allowed this;(Muslim-Muslim ticket).It is highly insensitive”, he stated.
According to him, whoever advised the APC leadership to subscribe to another Muslim-Muslim ticket in the face of global outrage over perceived persecution of Christians in Nigeria do not mean well for the party.
The APC chieftain emphasized that the situation in 2023 during which time people gloated over the development is completely different from what is presently on the ground.
“With the current situation in the country, and the insinuations of Christian genocide all over the world about Nigeria, nobody expected 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 the president and APC have made the campaign very difficult for the Christian members of the party ahead of the elections.
” What do you expect us to tell the Christian community ,to vote for another Muslim-Muslim ticket ? ” Vatsa lamented.
While expressing deep shock and disbelief ,the former Commissioner ,warned that President Tinubu with his decision to stick to the highly contentious Muslim-Muslim ticket has thrown a challenge to the Christians.
He maintained that the choice made by the APC will certainly come with some consequences , unless the president must have made other arrangements for the winning of the election ,apart from the ballot box.
Vatsa noted that the Christian community in the country is already facing challenges, and feeling unsecured, and therefore, will be comfortable opting for an arrangement that will offer them protection.
” 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 added.
The source further reports that Vatsa had last week made a passionate appeal to the Niger state Governor to consider chosing a Christian deputy ahead of the 2027 election.
He described as completely unacceptable orchestrated attempts aimed at relegating the Christian community to the background ,in the governance space of Nigeria.
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