Report by Daniel Atori
A Chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Niger state, Hon Jonathan Vatsa has warned the party not to impose candidates on the people as that will mar the chances of the party in the general elections.
This is ahead of the primary elections for the APC for the 2027 general elections.
Vatsa specifically warned that internal democracy must be upheld and allowed to prevail as the party cannot afford to go into the elections with a divided house, stressing that no individual should be favoured ahead of the official party primaries.
The former Commissioner for Information, Culture and Tourism in the state gave the warning when he spoke to selected journalists in Minna over the weekend as the primary elections of the party slated for this month gatherers momentum.
He maintained that any move by the party to grant automatic ticket to any aspirant will spell doom for the party, insisting that all contenders must be allowed to participate in an open primary to determine the party’s candidate in all seats.
Accordingly, he said “that is the only way that we can going to the general elections as a united family, especially now that the oppositions are waiting for a slip by the ruling party”.
The outspoken former publicity secretary of the party warned the ruling party to be wary of the threat from the oppositions saying that “they are capable causing upset if we did not do the proper thing and keep the party united
“Imposition of candidates, especially the unpopular ones on the people will be a huge mistake by the party, it can fuel anti-party activities which will have huge implications in the general elections.
“I have heard authoritatively that the party is contemplating on a consensus arrangements for the primaries in my state, and that will be a disaster, it cannot sell.
“There must be a level playing field for every aspirant during the primaries, democracy must be allowed to prevail”.
“If a popular candidate is allowed to emerge, the party will have less work to do during campaign, but if the party decides to go ahead with any undemocratic arrangement, it will have itself to blame”.
Speaking on the current escalation of bandits activities and the general security situation across the country, Vatsa pointed out that it is a bad advertisement for the government.
“I said it before but nobody took my warning serious. The same scenario played out in 2014 ahead of the 2015 general elections and former President Goodluck Jonathan was blamed and voted out.
“The whole thing is about 2027, and this is affecting the popularity of the government everyday. The hardship too is not helping matters but unfortunately everything is being put on President Tinubu’s head and I don’t think so”, he disclosed.
