Don’t strangulate opposition parties to impose candidates on Nigerians, Vatsa, Niger APC Chieftain warns
By Yahaya Zakka Minna
A Chieftain of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in Niger State, Hon. Jonathan Vatsa, has addressed a wide range of political issues as the build-up to the 2027 general elections gathers momentum, saying that the ruling party is operating in stormy waters.
The former commissioner for Information, Culture, and Tourism in Niger state, while addressing Journalists in Minna on Wednesday on political developments in the country ahead of the general elections, said that the ongoing “anti-people arrangements” called consensus will hurt the APC at the general elections.
Vatsa warned that any attempt by the APC at any level to prevent a seamless political process will spell doom for the party, as the people will wait for them at the polling units in 2027, saying, “You can only rig an election when the people are with you.”
The former publicity secretary of the party in the state pointed out that Nigerians must be allowed, through transparent democratic processes and norms, to vote out underperforming leaders, warning that strangulating opposition parties and then imposing candidates on the people is an invitation to anarchy.
He pointed out that “Non-performing leaders should not have a place in the political space in 2027. People should be allowed to vote such leaders out at all levels”.
Speaking on the ongoing crisis within the opposition parties in the country, Vatsa cautioned that strangulating the opposition parties is not democracy but dictatorship, which he believes is not healthy for the country’s hard-earned democracy.
“When you strangulate opposition parties to create a one-party state, you are inviting serious anarchy. People will resist it because a one-party state is not in our constitution and is alien to our politics.
“Nigerians fought the military dictatorship to earn this democracy, only to find themselves in the hands of a civilian dictatorship. Nigerians will resist it; this is an invitation to anarchy. It is unfortunate that those benefiting from the system now did not see anything wrong with what is happening until it consumes all of us.
“We want to crumble this hard-earned democracy through some anti-democratic action or behavior. If we have not performed well, let us beg Nigerians for another chance, because we know they are not happy.
“If they had strangulated us as an opposition in 2015, we wouldn’t be here today. Let us not think that we are smart, no, we are not. It is because some people have the love of this country in their hearts, and they don’t want anarchy”.
According to the outspoken former commissioner, APC should have itself to blame for finding itself in this desperate situation, stressing that “we made some wrong decisions and that is why we find ourselves in this desperate situation”.
Vatsa maintained that this is the richest government since the return of democracy in 1999. Yet, Nigerians don’t feel the impact at all levels, adding that “there is excess money but excess poverty in the land.
“That is why Nigerians are angry with this government, and we now believe that it’s only through strangulating the opposition parties that we can make it in 2027. We must do everything possible to avoid anarchy”.
He cautioned those who are clapping hands and supporting the strangulation of the opposition parties because they are beneficiaries now, to be prepared to cry tomorrow, pointing out that “former president Goodluck Jonathan was not a fool to have allowed a level playing field for Nigerians to express their political right and freedom, and that is democracy Nigerians fought for.
“We should not mussle the opposition parties because we have behaved irresponsibly as a government, subjecting Nigerians to poverty and hardship in the midst of plenty”, he submitted.
