By Awwal Umar Kontagora A former Commissioner for Information, Culture, and Tourism in Niger State and chieftain of the All Prog...
By Awwal Umar Kontagora
A former Commissioner for Information, Culture, and Tourism in Niger State and chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Jonathan Vatsa, has strongly criticized former Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Babachir Lawal, and former Kaduna State Governor, Mallam Nasir El-Rufai, over their stance against President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s re-election in 2027. He described both politicians as having lost their political integrity and the credibility to speak for the North.
Speaking in Minna on Friday, Vatsa reacted to comments attributed to Babachir Lawal, in which he pledged to join forces with El-Rufai to prevent Tinubu’s second term bid. He dismissed their influence, insisting they are merely self-serving politicians who no longer hold relevance in Northern politics.
Vatsa warned that Northern politicians pushing for power to return to the region in 2027 do not have Nigeria’s unity at heart. He argued that if any region should make a legitimate case for the presidency, it should be the South East, not the North, as such aspirations could threaten national cohesion.
According to him, both El-Rufai and Babachir Lawal lack the grassroots support to win their respective local government areas in a free and fair election in 2027. He emphasized that the average Northerner has become politically enlightened and is no longer swayed by religious or ethnic sentiments. He declared that religion-based politics is now a thing of the past in the North, as people have realized that it does not put food on their tables.
Vatsa accused El-Rufai of planting insecurity in Kaduna State, particularly in Southern Kaduna, in a desperate attempt to secure a second term in office. He alleged that violence was deliberately instigated against certain communities in the state during the 2019 elections. He asserted that despite these efforts, the people remained steadfast and refused to support him. He credited President Tinubu with restoring peace to the area and giving its people a sense of belonging, questioning how El-Rufai and his allies intend to turn them against Tinubu in 2027.
The former Coordinator of Public Affairs to ex-Governor Abubakar Sani Bello lamented that the political unity that once existed in the North has been eroded, particularly under former President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration. He claimed that the North is now more politically fragmented than any other region in the country.
According to Vatsa, Northern politicians have historically manipulated religion and ethnicity to deceive the masses during elections, only to abandon them in poverty and hardship afterward. He maintained that this era is over, stating that the new political reality in the region is one of self-interest, where people only support those who genuinely care for them.
He also referenced past corruption scandals, recalling how a government official allegedly spent ₦600 million on clearing grass at Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) camps. He asserted that, in a country serious about fighting corruption, such individuals should be in jail rather than strategizing on how to undermine Tinubu’s re-election.
Vatsa concluded by asserting that neither El-Rufai nor Babachir Lawal has the political strength to stop Tinubu’s second term bid. He insisted that only God and the Nigerian electorate will decide the 2027 election, not individuals who have outlived their political relevance. He further blamed past Northern leaders for laying the foundation of poverty and insecurity in the region, arguing that Tinubu should not be held responsible for the situation.
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