From John Adams, Minna
A former Commissioner for Information, Culture and Tourism in Niger State and chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Jonathan Vatsa, has resigned his membership of the ruling party ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Vatsa, former pioneer Publicity Secretary of the APC in Niger State, announced his resignation in a letter dated October 19, 2026, addressed to the party chairman of Gulu Anguwa-Gulu Vatsa Ward in Lapai Local Government Area.
Although he described his decision as personal, the resignation comes against the backdrop of his longstanding opposition to Muslim-Muslim tickets at the presidential and governorship levels, which he has repeatedly warned could undermine the party’s electoral fortunes in 2027.
In the three-paragraph letter, a copy of which was made available to journalists in Minna, Vatsa said his decision followed extensive consultations with family members, friends and political associates.
“I write to inform you of my decision to resign my membership of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Niger State, with effect from Monday, 19th October, 2026.
“My decision to relinquish my membership of the party was taken after due consultation with my family, friends and political associates,” he stated.
The former commissioner expressed appreciation to the APC for providing him opportunities to serve in various capacities during his 13-year association with the party.
Vatsa, who belonged to the defunct Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) before its merger with other political parties to form the APC, became the party’s pioneer Publicity Secretary in Niger State and played a prominent role in its victory in the 2015 governorship election.
Following the emergence of former Governor Abubakar Sani Bello, he was appointed Commissioner for Information, Culture and Tourism in 2015.
He was relieved of the position during a cabinet reshuffle in 2017 and subsequently appointed Coordinator of Public Communication.
Under the administration of Governor Mohammed Umaru Bago, Vatsa returned to government in 2023 as Special Adviser on Public-Private Partnership before being reassigned to Media and Communication.
He was subsequently relieved of his appointment.
Before his resignation, Vatsa had emerged as one of the vocal critics of the APC’s adoption of same-faith tickets, arguing that religious balance in the distribution of political offices was necessary to promote inclusiveness and strengthen public confidence.
He had particularly opposed the retention of Muslim-Muslim tickets at both the federal and Niger State levels, warning that the arrangement could affect the party’s chances in the 2027 elections.
Following Governor Bago’s decision to retain the same-faith governorship arrangement ahead of the polls, Vatsa reportedly distanced himself from the Government House, maintaining that political appointments and elective offices should reflect religious diversity.
However, his resignation letter did not expressly identify the Muslim-Muslim ticket controversy as the reason for leaving the party, nor did he indicate his next political destination.