A former Commissioner for Information, Culture and Tourism in Niger State and chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Jonathan Vatsa, has alleged that the escalating violence in Plateau and Benue states is part of a deliberate political strategy to destabilize the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Speaking to journalists at his residence in Minna on Sunday, Vatsa described the killings in the North Central region as orchestrated acts by what he called “political merchants” bent on discrediting Tinubu’s leadership.
His words: “In 2014, the same people set both Christians and Muslims against the Jonathan administration, using insecurity as a weapon to poison and deceive Nigerians.
“They funded Boko Haram, bombs were being thrown everywhere, including Abuja. They organised the kidnapping of Chibok school girls all in an attempt to make the Jonathan government very unpopular before Nigerians.”
Drawing parallels between the Goodluck Jonathan era and the present day, Vatsa warned that the renewed violence is not coincidental.
“The same people are back on the drawing board again. The killings in Plateau and Benue are part of a game plan. It is all about 2027. The government should know this by now,” he added.
Currently serving as the Special Adviser on Public Private Partnership (PPP) to Governor Umaru Bago of Niger State, Vatsa did not mince words in accusing certain power blocs of orchestrating unrest for political gain.
He said: “These people believe they own Nigeria. If they are not in power, then that government must not work. They will unleash violence and sponsor terrorism to destabilize any administration that refuses to do their bidding.”
He urged President Tinubu to respond decisively, warning that if left unchecked, the conspirators may render the country ungovernable and threaten the very foundation of his government.
“Tinubu’s government is the real target of this wave of insecurity. He must act fast and decisively before these political merchants remove him from office through sponsored chaos,” he stated.
Despite the concerns, Vatsa expressed optimism about President Tinubu’s prospects for re-election, asserting that performance and public support would outweigh the current unrest.
“If the clueless and visionless Buhari administration could last eight years, I don’t see what will stop Tinubu in 2027.”
He also dismissed the chances of opposition parties in Niger State, citing widespread support for Governor Bago’s “New Niger Agenda” and the infrastructural strides made under the APC-led administration.
His words: “In Niger State, there is no vacancy in the government house in 2027. All the opposition parties seem to have come to terms with the developmental agenda of the current administration.”
Vatsa, however, criticized the federal government’s perceived leniency towards those behind acts of violence, calling for tougher action and accountability.
