Ahead of the 2027 general election, the issue of religion has taken a new dimension in Niger State, with Christian leaders openly challenging the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC, over what they described as years of political marginalisation.
Their latest demand that Governor Mohammed Umaru Bago should field a Christian deputy governor if he seeks a second term has reignited conversations about inclusion, internal party democracy, zoning, consensus politics and religious representation in the state’s political landscape.
While the APC has yet to openly take a position on the issue, Christian groups insist that the agitation goes beyond religion and is rooted in what they described as the need for equity, fairness and inclusive governance.
The agitation did not begin today
The latest demand by the Coalition of Concerned Christian Stakeholders, CCCS, did not emerge overnight. It follows months of complaints by Christian groups over what they described as shrinking political representation in Niger State.
The first major public push came on May 20, 2026, when the Niger State Christian Voice in Politics and Governance, led by its Convener, Habila Daniel Diko, accused the APC of sidelining Christian aspirants during the National Assembly primaries.
The group alleged that consensus arrangements and zoning were used to edge out Christian aspirants, warning that the development could deepen religious imbalance and discourage especially Christian youths from participating in politics.
It also expressed concern over the fate of the Deputy Speaker of the Niger State House of Assembly, Afiniki Dauda, alleging that she came under pressure during the primaries.
At the time, the group warned that if the situation was not addressed, Christians could lose what remained of their representation in the state’s political leadership.
Weeks later, former Commissioner for Information, Culture and Tourism and APC chieftain, Jonathan Vatsa warned that the party risked alienating Christian voters if it retained another Muslim-Muslim governorship ticket in 2027.
The campaign gathered further momentum last week when the Coalition of Concerned Christian Stakeholders formally demanded that the APC reserve its deputy governorship ticket for a Christian.
Addressing journalists in Minna on Tuesday, 8 July, 2026, the coalition’s Secretary, Comrade Jude Johnson, flanked by Vatsa and other members, said the demand was not aimed at promoting religious division but at ensuring justice, fairness and inclusive governance.
“We demand a Christian deputy,” the coalition declared, arguing that leadership in a diverse state like Niger, comprising Christians, Muslims and adherents of traditional religions, should reflect the composition of its people.
The coalition maintained that Christians had supported Governor Bago’s election in 2023 but said continued support for his second-term ambition would depend on whether the party addressed what it described as the growing imbalance in political representation.
It also urged the governor to consider a Christian from Niger East (Zone B), arguing that the zone has qualified party members and a significant Christian population.
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