A coalition of Christian stakeholders, the Concerned Christians in Niger State, has urged Governor Mohammed Bago to choose a Christian deputy as running mate in the 2027 election.

The coalition said the choice was necessary as it would allay fears of marginalisation of Christians in the state and forestall protest votes by Christian members of the All Progressives Congress during the 2027 elections.

The Chairman of the Concerned Christians and former Niger State APC Publicity Secretary Jonathan Vatsa who addressed journalists at the Correspondent Chapel alongside members of his executive said Governor Mohammed Bago and the ruling APC have marginalised Christians in the party by forcing them to step down from contesting the last party primaries.

Vatsa noted that the concerned Christians were simply demanding for party inclusiveness, fairness, justice and equity in the affairs of the party, stressing that Christian members of the party may be left with no other option than to vote any party that fields a Christian running mate.

“We are calling on Governor Mohammed Bago and all major stakeholders of the ruling All Progressives Congress to facilitate the emergence of a Christian running mate to the governor for the 2027 gubernatorial elections. We vehemently reject the continuous Muslim-Muslim governorship ticket, given our contributions, dedication and population in the state.

“Christians constitute over 45 per cent in terms of population, the ruling government has undermined and relegated Christians to the background. In the just concluded Primaries of the APC, qualified and popular Christian politicians who aspired to contest and be voted into various elective positions were compelled to drop their ambitions because of their religion.

“All the 25 local government chairmen in the state are Muslims, 98 percent of the Vice Chairpersons are Muslims. Again when you look at the candidates for all the elective positions for the 2027 elections, the three Senatorial candidates are Muslims, the 11 House of Representatives candidates are Muslims and 26 out of the 27 house of assembly candidates are Muslims.

“Information at our disposal indicates that we have more Christians in Zone B of the state, then why not give the body a fair treatment by picking a deputy from amongst Christians.

We supported your governorship candidature during the 2023 elections, this time around, we are demanding that the APC ticket reflects fairness, equity and inclusiveness by ensuring a Christian becomes your running mate,” he stressed.

Also speaking, the Secretary of the Coalition, Jude Johnson observed that Christian members of the party were already expressing their rejection of the Muslim-Muslim ticket of Governor Bago.

“Politically, economically, educationally and socially, for us to accept another four years of a Muslim-Muslim ticket is unacceptable. This is a legitimate concern for equity, and no one can query our right to demand for a seat at the table,” he said. (The PUNCH)

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