A chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Niger State, Jonathan Vatsa, on Sunday alleged that the ongoing bloodbaths in Plateau and Benue states are politically motivated violence, aimed at discrediting President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration ahead of the 2027 general elections.

Speaking with selected journalists in Minna at his residence about the current situation, especially the killings in Benue and Plateau states, the former Commissioner for Information, Culture, and Tourism said the sponsors of the current mayhem aim to make President Tinubu unpopular before the 2027 elections.

Vatsa, who was the former publicity secretary of the APC in the state, further alleged that the same formula was used against the administration of former President Goodluck Jonathan ahead of the 2015 elections, and it succeeded.

He added, “All they want is to set Nigerians against the Tinubu government. In 2014, the same people set both Christians and Muslims against Jonathan’s administration, using insecurity as a weapon to poison and deceive Nigerians and set them against the government.”

“They funded Boko Haram, bombs were thrown everywhere in the country, including Abuja, and they organized the kidnapping of Chibok schoolgirls—all in an attempt to make Jonathan’s government very unpopular before Nigerians.”

“The same people are back on the drawing board again. The killings in Plateau and Benue are all part of the game plan, and it’s all about 2027. The government should know this by now.”

“They are political merchants. If they are not in any government, then that government must not succeed. They will unleash insecurity and violence against the government.”

Vatsa pointed out that some individuals in certain parts of the country strongly believe they are the owners of Nigeria and that the country belongs to them.

He added, “Like I said, if they are not in government, that government must not work. They will unleash terror on the government by sponsoring terror and killings.”

“The government must do their bidding, or else the heavens will fall. They will make the country ungovernable for the government. We saw this play out during the Jonathan administration.”

Vatsa further urged President Tinubu to act fast and bring the situation under control before those he described as “political merchants” remove him from power through insecurity.

“I can tell you that Tinubu’s government is the target of the current violence all over the country, and that is why I am urging him to act quickly,” he said.

Vatsa, however, believed that the current security challenges are not enough to stop President Tinubu’s re-election in 2027, insisting, “If the clueless and visionless Buhari administration could spend eight years, I wonder what will stop Tinubu’s re-election in 2027.”

“One thing I know for sure is that in Niger State, there is no vacancy in the government house in 2027 because all the opposition parties seem to have come to terms with the ‘New Niger Agenda’ and the massive infrastructural transformation of the present administration. But if President Tinubu thinks there is vacancy in Aso Rock in 2027, so be it.”

Vatsa expressed regret that the government knows the perpetrators and sponsors of these killings but is afraid to go after them.

“It is only in Nigeria that some individuals are above the law. They sponsor violence and mayhem, yet nobody goes after them,” he said.

“Also, it is only in Nigeria that people loot government treasuries and are given red carpet receptions by the government instead of being thrown into jail. You see people with corrupt cases hanging over their heads, and they start singing government praises just to be set free.”

“I want to advise President Tinubu that tackling the current security challenges in the country requires some elements of madness.

“If he doesn’t have one, he should acquire it immediately before the situation consumes his government because they are after his government.”