Muslim-Muslim Ticket: Retaining Shettima will rob APC of votes this time – Vatsa warns

A Niger State chieftain of the All Progressives Congress APC and former Commissioner for Information, Culture and Tourism, Jonathan Vatsa has described the retention of Kashim Shettima as Vice Presidential candidate as highly insensitive and insulting to Christian community.

He gave a scathing criticism of Muslim-Muslim pairs, warning that the ruling may be robbed of victory in the 2027 general election as Christians will not support Muslim-Muslim ticket.

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He said it’s a direct insult to Christians and it will affect APC.votes.

Reacting in a statement on Saturday in the aftermath of confirmation of Shettima as vice presidential candidate, Vatsa said the circumstances that supported the joint ticket in 2023 general was unrealistic this time.

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“I think this is a grievous mistake by the APC. It is highly insensitive,” he said.

According to him, those behind the decision “did not mean well” for the President or the party.

According to him, the circumstances with which Christians found themselves, particularly their safety nobody expected President Tinubu to repeat the same mistate.

With the same mistake, he said, the APC will find it difficult to to convince Christians for their vote.

“What do you expect us to tell the Christian community, to vote for another Muslim-Muslim ticket?” he insisted.

Vatsa, who recently urged Niger State Governor Umaru Mohammed Bago to pick a Christian running mate for the 2027 governorship election, said Christians already feel insecure and would be more comfortable with a Christian vice-presidential candidate.

He warned that repeating the Muslim-Muslim ticket could have “grievous consequences” for the APC’s electoral chances.

The APC stalwart, however, clarified that his position was not against Vice President Shettima or the Muslim community.

He said, he held no grudge against Muslim community, but he insisted on fairness and equity in the political arrangement of the APC.

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