****Condemns Alleged Northern Military Officers Involved
A former Commissioner for Information, Culture and Tourism in Niger State and chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Hon. Jonathan Vatsa, has described the aborted coup plot against President Bola Ahmed Tinubu as a grave threat to Nigeria’s national stability and unity.
Vatsa, who reacted for the first time since the Defence Headquarters confirmed the alleged plot, strongly condemned the military officers reportedly involved, noting with concern that many of them were said to be of northern extraction.
Speaking with journalists in Minna on Wednesday, the former APC Publicity Secretary in Niger State warned that a successful coup would have plunged the country into irreversible chaos, drawing parallels with the bloody 1966 military takeover.
“Had this coup succeeded, it would have destroyed the unity of Nigeria forever. It bears a frightening resemblance to the 1966 coup, the consequences of which were disastrous for our country,” he said.
According to him, Nigeria today is far more sophisticated and politically conscious than it was in 1966, stressing that any violent attempt to seize power would have dire consequences, particularly for Northern Nigeria.
Vatsa expressed deep disappointment over the alleged involvement of northern officers, arguing that dissatisfaction with President Tinubu’s administration does not justify treasonable actions.
“Whatever anyone considers the sins of President Tinubu, the previous administration under the late President Muhammadu Buhari committed even greater sins against Nigerians,” he stated.
He argued that the current economic and social challenges facing the country are largely the result of policies inherited from the Buhari administration.
“The situation we are facing today is worse than what we experienced during Buhari’s eight years in office. Tinubu is simply trying to clean up the garbage that was littered across the country by that administration,” Vatsa said.
He questioned the timing and motive of the alleged coup plotters, asking why they remained silent while the country, in his words, was “brought to its knees” by Buhari’s policies.
“Were things perfect under Buhari because he is from the North? And now, suddenly, everything is wrong under Tinubu after just three years? The North needs to be very careful,” he warned.
Emphasising that Nigeria’s unity is sacrosanct and must transcend regional or political interests, Vatsa cautioned against self-deception, stating that the North stands to lose the most from political instability.
“The truth is that the South does not need the North as much as the North needs the South. We can see the level of poverty in the North compared to the South. Poverty is staring us in the face here, with thousands of northern youths migrating daily to the South for menial jobs just to survive,” he said.
He added that worsening insecurity in the North has compounded the suffering of ordinary citizens and warned that any political upheaval would further devastate the region.
“Our political leaders have behaved irresponsibly in the past, and the North is paying dearly for it. Insecurity has pushed the region back by at least 30 years,” he noted.
Vatsa also blamed Nigeria’s political class for the erosion of professionalism within the military, alleging that excessive political interference has weakened the institution.
“Politicians have killed the military by dragging it into politics. The barracks are now heavily politicised,” he said.
He warned that similar interference is now undermining the judiciary, accusing wealthy politicians of hijacking the courts through financial inducements.
“Moneybags now run to court with dollars to secure questionable injunctions. Conflicting judgments are everywhere. Political party constitutions have been thrown into the dustbin,” he lamented.
According to him, election outcomes are increasingly being decided in courtrooms rather than at polling units.
“You now see tribunals installing governors, senators, and members of the House of Representatives. Elections are no longer won at the polling units but at election tribunals,” Vatsa concluded.
