A former Niger State Commissioner for Information, Culture, and Tourism, Jonathan Vatsa, has dismissed claims that former Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Babachir Lawal, and former Kaduna State Governor, Nasiru El-Rufai, have the political influence to derail President Bola Tinubu’s chances of re-election in 2027.
Vatsa was responding to a recent statement credited to Lawal, in which he reportedly vowed to collaborate with El-Rufai to prevent Tinubu from securing a second term. Addressing journalists on Friday, the All Progressives Congress (APC) chieftain described both men as “self-serving politicians” who have lost credibility and no longer hold the authority to represent northern interests.
According to Vatsa, certain individuals advocating for power to return to the North in 2027 are only fueling division and do not genuinely care about national unity. He warned that the political landscape of the region has changed drastically and no longer operates under a singular northern agenda.
“The North can never speak with one voice again because former President Muhammadu Buhari has destroyed the unity of the region. The political situation today is one where everyone looks out for themselves—it’s every man for himself and God for us all,” he stated.
Vatsa further accused northern politicians of exploiting religion and ethnicity to deceive the masses, only to abandon them once in power. He argued that the suffering and poverty in the North today are the result of policies implemented by successive northern leaders, not Tinubu’s administration.
“For years, they misled poor northerners with religious and ethnic sentiments, only to enrich themselves and their families after elections, leaving the people in hunger and poverty. That era is over. The new slogan is ‘stand for those who stand for you,’” he asserted.
Dismissing concerns about opposition to Tinubu’s 2027 bid, Vatsa insisted that even if each state in Nigeria had 36 versions of El-Rufai and Babachir Lawal, they would still be incapable of stopping the president’s re-election.
“Only God and Nigerians can determine what happens in 2027—not individuals who have outlived their political relevance,” he declared.
The former APC publicity secretary also argued that the North’s current challenges, including poverty and insecurity, were not created by Tinubu but rather by previous northern leaders who failed to prioritize the welfare of their people.
“When we held power, we focused on our immediate families instead of the masses. That’s why no one can blame Tinubu for the poverty and insecurity in the North today,” Vatsa concluded.
His remarks reflect the growing political realignments ahead of the 2027 elections, as key figures within the APC and opposition strategize for the future.
