APC Accused of Marginalising Christians in North-East

A prominent chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Taraba State, Mr. Daniel Musa, has criticized the North-East Zonal Coordinator of the party and Governor of Yobe State, Mai Mala Buni, for what he described as a glaring insensitivity to the Christian community within the party.

Mr. Musa raised concern over a scheduled APC North-East consultative forum meeting convened by Governor Buni for Sunday, June 15, 2025, at 11:00 a.m., which coincides with the Christian worship period. Speaking to journalists on Friday in Jalingo, the Taraba APC chieftain labeled the move a “costly oversight” that must be addressed without delay.

“I understand that Governor Mai Mala Buni, who is the Coordinating Chairman of the APC in the North-East, has scheduled a major party meeting for 11 a.m. on a Sunday,” Musa stated. “I would like to believe this was merely an oversight and not a deliberate act. If not corrected immediately, it sends a very dangerous signal to Christian members of the party.”

Musa warned that proceeding with the meeting at such a time would reflect poorly on the party’s internal unity and inclusivity. According to him, it would appear as if Christians were being deliberately sidelined from participating in vital political deliberations, thereby raising suspicion about potential ulterior motives.

“If this meeting goes ahead as planned, it could be interpreted as a lack of regard for Christian members within the APC,” he added. “It may reinforce the already widespread perception that the party is exclusionary and intolerant of religious diversity. We cannot afford to take such a risk, especially in a country as religiously diverse as Nigeria.”

The APC chieftain noted that the party has long been tagged by critics as leaning heavily towards one faith, a perception he believes should be corrected—not reinforced—through deliberate inclusivity. He advised that actions capable of deepening such narratives must be avoided.

He further stressed the importance of maintaining religious balance and mutual respect within the party’s ranks, pointing out that no APC leader would ever contemplate fixing a key political meeting during the Friday Jumu’ah prayer time, a sacred period for Muslims. “The same respect must be accorded to Christians and their time of worship,” he emphasized.

Musa urged Governor Buni and the party’s North-East leadership to reschedule the meeting to a more appropriate time that does not conflict with religious observances, thereby promoting unity and fairness among all party members, regardless of faith.

“The APC must be sensitive to Nigeria’s rich cultural and religious diversity,” he said. “Only through inclusive planning and equal accommodation of all members can the party hope to make meaningful progress, especially in the North-East.”

Musa concluded by expressing hope that the error would be swiftly corrected, reiterating that he was choosing to interpret it as an unintentional mistake rather than a deliberate exclusion.