2027; Another Muslim-Muslim ticket could spell disaster for APC, warns Niger APC Chieftain Vatsa to Tinubu and Others
From Our Correspondent.
As the race toward the 2027 general elections gains momentum, a former commissioner for Information, Culture and Tourism and Chieftain of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in Niger state, Hon. Jonathan Vatsa, has cautioned that any attempt by the party to pursue a Muslim-Muslim ticket could spell disaster for it in 2027.
Speaking to reporters in Minna on Thursday ahead of the party’s national convention, the former publicity secretary of the party in the state said that the political landscape and the current political climate in the country strongly indicate that the 2023 Muslim-Muslim ticket will no longer benefit the party.
“If that experiment worked in 2023, it will no longer work in 2027. The opposition will exploit that to cause an upset like we did to PDP in 2015.”
Vatsa argued that, despite the influx of defectors into the ruling party, it cannot change the people’s mindset if the party sticks to the 2023 Muslim-Muslim arrangement, noting that “Nigerians might not subscribe to this arrangement this time around.”
The outspoken APC stalwart believes that the Muslim population in the North no longer supports the arrangement, as it has not resulted in any meaningful change in their daily lives. Therefore, continuing with the same approach into 2027 would be counterproductive.
“As I speak right now, the majority of Nigerians, especially our Muslim brothers from the North, no longer believe in the Muslim-Muslim ticket. The outcome of that arrangement did not change anything in their lives.
“To be honest with you, the North feels they were the victims of Tinubu’s leadership. That is the general perception in the North, where we received our votes in 2023.”
“If the party decides to go ahead with the Muslim-Muslim ticket, I am afraid it might spell doom for the party. Let us not be deceived by the ongoing mass defection by governors and national assembly members; it will not guarantee victory.
“Most of the defectors are just looking for a platform to run in 2027, not that they are genuinely working for the party like some of us did when we put our lives on the line for its success in 2015.
“Let all the 36 state governors defect to APC if they want, but that does not guarantee victory. It’s not even a guarantee that you can rig an election successfully.
“Experience has shown that if the people are not with you, there’s no way to rig an election.
The governors and national assembly members cannot rig votes at polling units; they need the people’s support. You have to be popular to earn their support.
“This isn’t just about the presidency; even at the state level, the party must not take the people for granted, because opposition parties could take advantage of our miscalculations.”
“The outcome of the party’s national convention and the subsequent primaries will be another test of the party’s unity. Successfully managing any crisis post-convention and during primaries will determine the party’s overall success.”
Vatsa, who belongs to the former ACN faction that allied with CPC and ANPP to form the current APC, also warned the party to stay alert amid the mass defections, stressing that “when the boat is overloaded, it might capsize.”
“So far, ward, local government, and state congresses have gone smoothly, and Ihope the national convention will be peaceful, but we must stay vigilant. We must monitor the defection activities closely.
“We need to learn from the mistakes of other parties that failed to manage their success. We must avoid anything that could cause divisions in the party; otherwise, our situation could worsen beyond what some parties are experiencing now,” he added.
