•Tinubu and APC logo
A chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Niger State, Hon. Jonathan Vatsa, has urged President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to change the style of his administration and urgently reconnect with Nigerians if he hopes to secure victory in the 2027 presidential election.
Vatsa, a former Niger State Commissioner for Information, Culture and Tourism, said the outcome of the recent governorship election in Osun State was a strong warning to the APC and an indication that political structures and governors alone may not be enough to deliver victory for the president in 2027, reports Channels TV.
In a statement issued in Minna, the Niger State capital, Vatsa said the performance of the APC during the Osun election showed that the party must return to the grassroots and address the economic challenges confronting Nigerians.
“For the number of APC governors that gathered in Osun, and for them to come back empty-handed, it is an indication that they have lost the confidence of the people,” he said.
According to him, the president may have made mistakes by allowing state governors to control funds accruing from the removal of fuel subsidy, but he said it was not too late for the administration to change its approach and reconnect directly with the masses.
“I must say that the people of Osun State have spoken the mind of Nigerians with the way they voted during the election. Nigerians are not happy because of the hardship despite the excess money in the country,” Vatsa said.
He alleged that funds saved from fuel subsidy removal were largely being channelled to state governments without corresponding improvement in the living conditions of the people, adding that Nigerians were consequently holding the president responsible for the economic hardship.
“From the way Osun people voted and protected their votes, it is an indication that Nigerians are ready to vote and protect their votes in 2027.
“This is a clear warning ahead of what APC should expect in 2027 because the governors are spreading poverty in their states,” he said.
Vatsa maintained that the 2027 elections would not be a “child’s play”, arguing that Nigerians had become more politically conscious and were no longer easily influenced by political structures or prominent personalities.
He urged President Tinubu to return to the grassroots and reconnect with Nigerians if he intends to secure a second term.
The former APC publicity secretary in Niger State also identified internal opposition within the party as another factor responsible for the party’s setback in Osun State.
“There are so many oppositions within the party, and this will also play out in the general elections in 2027,” he said.
Vatsa said the political atmosphere in the country had changed, noting that Nigerians were no longer moved by big names, party structures or endorsements from political elites.
“What the people want now is food on their table, jobs for their children, security in their communities, and visible impact from the government in their daily lives,” he said.
He argued that state governors should use the resources available to them to improve the welfare of the people, instead of allowing projects to remain abandoned while poverty and hunger persist.
“Mr. President should know by now that many of the elites he is relying on, including ministers, lawmakers and governors, are not working in his best interest.
“The majority of them have been rejected by their people and the Nigerian masses because of poor leadership, greed and a culture of serving only themselves and their families while the people continue to suffer in poverty,” Vatsa alleged.
He warned that continued reliance on political elites who had allegedly lost touch with the people could undermine President Tinubu’s chances of securing re-election in 2027.
Vatsa described the Osun election as a clear signal that should not be ignored by the APC.
“If, despite the full solidarity of the APC structure in Osun, the governorship result did not favour our party, then the message is crystal clear.
“The masses have spoken, and it is because of hunger and economic hardship in the country, unemployment, and the arrogance and greed of some political elites, especially the governors,” he said.
He urged the president to ensure that Nigerians directly felt the impact of his administration, rather than allowing resources from subsidy savings to be concentrated in the hands of governors and political elites.
“The people are wiser now; they are stronger in their decision, they are determined to resist intimidation and ready to vote according to their conscience. The President should take note of this paradigm shift,” Vatsa said.
