***Urges Tinubu to Act Swiftly Before It Consumes His Government
A prominent chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and former Commissioner for Information, Culture and Tourism in Niger State, Hon. Jonathan Vatsa, has raised the alarm that the ongoing bloodshed in Plateau and Benue States is politically motivated and aimed at discrediting the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Speaking to journalists at his residence in Minna on Sunday, Vatsa alleged that what the country is witnessing is not mere communal violence, but a calculated plan to destabilize the Tinubu-led government and poison public opinion against it.
“This is a repeat of the 2014 playbook,” Vatsa declared. “Back then, they used Boko Haram, bombings, and the Chibok girls’ abduction to turn Nigerians against President Goodluck Jonathan. Today, it’s Plateau and Benue, and it’s all about 2027.”
Vatsa, who currently serves as Special Adviser on Public Private Partnership (PPP) to Governor Umaru Bago of Niger State, claimed that powerful political actors who feel entitled to national leadership are behind the violence.
“There are individuals who believe Nigeria belongs to them. If they are not in power, they make the country ungovernable,” he said. “They are political merchants, and their target is President Tinubu’s government.”
He lamented the government’s perceived reluctance to go after the sponsors of violence, alleging that some perpetrators are known but untouchable.
“Only in Nigeria do we pamper looters and give red carpet receptions to people with pending corruption cases. We know the sponsors of these killings, yet nothing is done,” he said.
Vatsa warned that unless President Tinubu takes drastic action, the security situation could spiral out of control and potentially undermine his administration.
“Mr. President must act fast. The violence is meant to remove him from power, and he must confront it head-on. If it requires some level of madness to crush these threats, he should acquire it immediately.”
Despite his alarm over the violence, Vatsa expressed confidence in Tinubu’s potential re-election.
“If the visionless Buhari administration could last eight years, what will stop President Tinubu in 2027?” he asked rhetorically. “In Niger State, there is no vacancy in the Government House come 2027. The opposition has already accepted the New Niger Agenda.”
The APC stalwart concluded with a call to courage and decisive leadership.
“This is not the time for fear or hesitation. This is about the future of our democracy and the survival of this administration. President Tinubu must rise to the challenge before it is too late.”