APC is making the same mistake in 2027 with Muslim-Muslim ticket

Jonathan Vatsa, a chieftain of the APC in Niger State, has come out to say what many Christians in this country have been thinking quietly. He called the reported decision to retain Vice President Kashim Shettima as President Tinubu's running mate for 2027 a direct insult to the Christian community. And honestly, I agree with him.

In a statement he issued in Minna today, Vatsa said the circumstances that justified the same-faith ticket in 2023 no longer exist. He said it is highly insensitive and that those behind this decision did not mean well for the President or the party. He asked a question that I think is very fair: what do you expect us to tell the Christian community, to vote for another Muslim-Muslim ticket? Especially when Christians already feel insecure in this country with kidnappings and killings targeting their communities.

I know some people will say this is about religion and we should focus on competence. But let us be honest. Nigeria is not a secular state in practice. People vote their faith and their region. The APC is making a strategic error by not even pretending to care about balance. If the PDP or Labour Party fields a Christian candidate for vice president, the APC will lose Christian votes. And they will deserve to lose them. Am I the only one that thinks this is a grievous political miscalculation?