BREAKING: APC Vows Tinubu Won’t Be Defeated Like Jonathan in 2027 Over Insecurity

The All Progressives Congress (APC), has said President Bola Tinubu would not allow himself to be defeated in the 2027 elections, unlike former president Goodluck Jonathan, who was defeated in 2015  as a result of intractable insecurity in the country.

The ruling party, which reacted following a spike in insecurity across the country, noted that if insecurity was what led to the defeat of Jonathan, then APC would not “blindfold itself and allow itself to defeat itself.”

But, Afenifere, Monday, called on the federal government to collaborate with governors and urgently come up with strategies to confront the security challenges bedeviling the country.

This was as senators from the 19 northern states of Nigeria have condemned the rising insecurity in Plateau and Benue States, and vowed to resist any attempt to make it the new normal.

Curiously, a former minister of Youths and Sports Development, Solomon Dalung, has branded the killings in Plateau State communities as acts of terrorism, and not some farmer-herder conflict.

Nevertheless, the Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant General Oluyemi Oluyede, yesterday, visited the attacked communities in Bokkos Local Government Area of Plateau State, where he assured the people that the perpetrators of the heinous crime would be arrested and be made to face the full wrath of the law.

At the same time, a security expert and former Director of the Department of State Services (DSS), Mike Ejiofor has blamed persistent attacks in Plateau communities and other areas across the federation on a combination of intelligence failure, inadequate manpower, limited deployment of modern defence and security technology, and several other factors.

Yet, the Plateau State Governor, Caleb Mutfwang, has assured the people of the state that peace would ultimately return to Plateau with time and dedication.

However, APC Director of Media and Publicity, Mr. Bala Ibrahim, spoke to THISDAY on the speculations that the increase in insecurity in the country was politically motivated as part of the plots to ensure the defeat of Tinubu in the 2027 elections.

Prior to the 2015 general election, insecurity in the country had continued unabated, which later led to the defeat of the Jonathan administration.

With the recent series of killings, kidnappings and all sorts of insecurity in the country, there have been speculations that the same script that was used for Jonathan was already being used for Tinubu.

But Bala, who differed, stated: “If  indeed this is the observation or the thinking of the naysayers, the government cannot just fold its arms and allow itself to be caught napping.

“It is  good that people are linking history to the political situation of the country. If that was what was responsible for the downfall of Jonathan, I can tell you, Jonathan was defeated by the APC, and the APC cannot blindfold itself and allow itself to defeat itself.

“So, President Bola Tinubu by your submission or by the submission of the naysayers is already aware of the problem that will take him to lose and he will not allow it.

“And that is why he has a capable hand in terms of National Security Adviser, MallamNuhu Ribadu, one who, as I talk to you now, is criss-crossing these hotspots with a view to reinvigorating the system, that is, fighting this insurgency and boosting the morale of those who are carrying out the fight.”

Bala recalled that recently, the President directed the Minister of state for Defence, Bello Matawalle, to relocate to the epicenter of banditry, which is the North-West,  which resulted in victory for the military.

“In a nutshell, the president will not allow himself to be defeated by himself. He’s taking measures to ensure that results are obtained for whatever strategy that was put in place to fight this insecurity and he’s assuring Nigerians that the safety of Nigeria is on the front banner of this programme.

“And this insecurity is increasingly invigorated in a way and manner that is making movement in the areas that were hitherto impenetrable, so much so that people can now ply the roads from Abuja to Sokoto. They can ply the roads from Abuja to Maiduguri, and they can move about in areas that were no good areas before.

“Yes, there are spots where the heat is still on, but it’s only a sign that Uhuru is very close by. When you’re about to get to waterloo, you will see that the intensity of it becomes higher, and there are chances for more casualty to be found. Definitely it is not to say the war is about to be lost. We are actually going for victory,” he said.

The ruling party, however, blamed the increase in insecurity on the frosty relationship between Nigeria and francophone neighbouring countries.

According to him, “Nigeria cannot operate in isolation and when you look at the relationship between Nigeria and its francophone neighbouring countries, you will see that of recent, ever since the change of government in Niger, there has been a kind of sour relationship that  is threatening the Multinational Joint Task Force (MJTF).

“Nigeria is literally left alone to fight this war without the collaborative effort of its neighbours. If the President of Nigeria, President Bola Tinubu, has not been doing enough, probably they would have overrun Nigeria by now.

“But thanks to the initiative of the National Security Advisor (NSA), Mallam NuhuRibadu, who has been strategising and re-strategising.  You see there is a decline in the ferocity of attacks.

“When last did you hear these bandits or kidnappers or insurgents coming to attack with such spectacular manners as they used to do. Even in areas like Zamfara, Kebbiand Sokoto, you found that the degree of attacks have reduced. Which is to say that these people who are attacking are increasing in being put under heat.

“And I assure you, the situation is going to continue improving with the initiatives of the government of the day.”

Afenifere has called on the federal government to collaborate with governors and urgently come up with strategies to confront the security challenges bedeviling Nigeria.

The group made the call yesterday in a communique issued by its National Publicity Secretary, Jare Ajayi, shortly after a caucus meeting at the Akure home of its leader, Pa Reuben Fasoranti.

The group said given the prime of position that security occupies in the the life of any society, it called on the federal government and security agencies to redesign the security architecture in such a way that those in charge of security would be able to dig deeper into its causes and deal with them decisively.

“In this wise, we are calling on the National  Security Adviser (NSA), Mallam  NuhuRibadu to, in collaboration with governors, urgently come up with strategies to confront the challenges and put  them under control.

“While the above is going on, governors, particularly in Yorubaland, should further strengthen the security  network in the region because of the upsurge of terrorism in our area.

“For instance, Amotekun personnel should be increased, motivated, trained and properly equipped. Besides, modern technology such as drones etc to tackle insecurity should be deployed.”

Afenifere, while noting that it was unrelenting in its insistence that a multi-level police system should take off immediately, called on governors to track unscrupulous herders terrorising farmers in the region.

“In view of the importance of food in any society, state governments in Yorubalandare called upon to pay more serious attention to agriculture. Policy papers  on how farm settlements were established and run should be revisited and reviewed in line with the present reality for implementation purpose.

“This time around, local government councils should be given the mandate and leverage to establish farms in their respective areas. Farm inputs be made available to the farmers at subsidised rates. In the same vein, food items can be made available to the people at subsidised rates.

“Afenifere is very persistent on the need to ensure that Yoruba language is used more as a medium of communication. The body specifically called on governments in Yoruba-speaking states to make Yoruba the medium of teaching at elementary levels of our education: kindergarten/nursery, primary and junior secondary schools.

“Afenifere also urged Legislatures in Yoruba-speaking states to make Yoruba the language of conducting their legislative businesses as much as possible.”

On the high costs of food items in the country, Afenifere urged states and local governments to empower  local farmers by providing them with needed resources – even at subsidised rates, saying it would also enhance the council’s finances and boost the local economy.

It, therefore, called on President Tinubu to leverage on his  known democratic credential as a federalist by quickening the country’s realisation of true federalism as soon as possible.

Senators from the 19 northern states of the federation, have condemned the rising insecurity in Plateau and Benue States and vowed to resist any attempt to make it the new normal.

The federal lawmakers under the aegis of Northern Senators’ Forum, made the pledge in a statement by their Chairman, Senator Abdulaziz Musa Yar’adua, in Abuja yesterday.

The senators noted with great concern that the death toll, from the recent attacks on five communities in Bokkos Local Government Area of Plateau State had risen in numbers.

Regretting that many more lives had been injured and missing, they declared that, “Such situation, does not represent the values we stand for as a nation.

“This tragic incident is a stark reminder of the insecurity that has plagued some parts of our nation, and we cannot afford to let it become the new norm.

“We wish to commiserate with the families of the victims, the Plateau State Government, and the people of Plateau State over this tragic incident.

“We wish to also commend the Governor of Plateau State, Caleb Mutfwang, for his efforts to restore calm and prevent retaliation between various ethnic groups.

“His leadership is a beacon of hope in these trying times, and we urge him to continue on this path.

“The Northern Senators Forum renews its commitment to working with the government and security agencies to develop a robust security framework that protects the lives and property of our citizens.

“We can not afford to fail in this endeavor. This recent attack is a wake-up call for all Nigerians. We must come together to build a safer, more secure future for ourselves and future generations.

“We owe it to the victims of these senseless attacks to act decisively and ensure that such incidents do not recur. Our thoughts and prayers are with the families of the victims,” the statement read.

Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant General Oluyemi Oluyede, on Monday, visited the attacked communities in Bokkos Local Government Area of Plateau State, and promised security reinforcement.

The COAS, who led a delegation of senior military officers to assess the level of destruction caused by the assailants, assured the people that the perpetrators of the heinous crime would be arrested and be made to face the full wrath of the law.

At a meeting with stakeholders and attended by General Officer Commanding (GOC) 3 Armoured Division and Commander of Operation Safe Haven, Major General Folusho Oyinlola, representatives of the state government, and leaders from religious organizations, the Army Chief, who promised to deploy more security personnel to affected communities, also called for peaceful coexistence amongst citizens of the state.

Assuring them that deployed troops would continue to be neutral, professional and fair to all irrespective of tribe and religion, the COAS pledged that all perpetrators of the crime would be arrested and prosecuted.

Major Gen. Oyinlola warned that any further attacks on innocent civilians would not be accepted.

“The senseless acts of violence that was witnessed in some of our communities must stop. Let me make it unequivocally clear that any further attacks on innocent civilians, destruction of property, or acts of lawlessness will be decisively dealt with.

“OPSH alongside other security agencies, will not stand idly by while criminal elements destabilise our communities. Those who think they can take law into their hands and go unpunished should have a re-think of their actions because the full weight of the law will be brought upon them,” he said.

He reiterated that troops under his watch would continue to seek sustainable solutions for lasting peace and ensure the safety of lives and property, adding that, “We must acknowledge that military action alone cannot bring about lasting peace. Sustainable peace is a collective responsibility which requires commitment from every stakeholder.

“Let me quickly remind all the stakeholders that violence has never solved any problem. Instead, it leads to more pain, destruction and deep-seated hatred. History has shown that even the most protracted conflicts in the world have only been resolved through dialogue and reconciliation.”

A security expert and former Director of the Department of State Services (DSS), Mike Ejiofor, has blamed persistent attacks in Plateau communities and other areas across the federation to a combination of intelligence failure, inadequate manpower, limited deployment of modern defence and security technology, and several other factors.

Ejiofor, who spoke exclusively to THISDAY, also called on the federal government to withdraw security aides of National Assembly members to compel them to enact legislations that would improve security situation across the country.

To minimise the ongoing human carnage in the country, the former DSS director reiterated the call to arm communities as first line of defence.

Speaking on the recent Bokkos killings, Ejiofor said, “Though I have not been there, I will give you some instances. Plateau has a very difficult topography that provides shelter for criminal syndicates.

“Another important question that demands a sincere answer about the persistent attacks is: what are the aims of the attackers? Are they intended to cleanse the area of the indigenes and take over their place?

“Or what is actually their intention? Until these questions are answered, one will not be in a position to make a conclusive statement on this issue. I also understand that numerous commissions of inquiry have been established, yet none have been implemented, and we continue to witness these attacks.

“According to the National Security Adviser (NSA), Mallam Nuhu Ribadu, arrests have been made. If arrests have indeed been made, those detained will serve as a deterrent, as previously we had not heard of any arrests. In the past, we only hear that they attacked the community, and vanished.

“However, now that arrests have been made and the NSA has vowed that enough is enough, I believe that enough is indeed more than enough. We cannot continue to witness the loss of human lives and property in that area. It’s quite disturbing.”

He stressed that some had drawn comparisons to the Uromi extrajudicial killings, adding, “We must avoid introducing ethnic undertones to these killings; instead, we should focus on the fact that Nigerians have been killed and require government protection, as stipulated in our constitution, which prioritizes the welfare and security of its citizens.

“Killings have been occurring in Zamfara and Sokoto; what actions have been taken regarding these incidents? Similarly, killings have been happening in Borno and Yobe, affecting Nigerians. We should approach this issue without a north-south or herdsmen-farmers lens.”

To stop the carnage, he said, one effective method, as stated by the DG DSS in their inaugural annual lecture, was mobilising the communities.

“In Plateau, for instance, we have a significant number of retired military personnel; why not gather them, provide licensed arms, and make them the first line of defence? The military and other security agencies lack sufficient manpower to cover all areas with security challenges.

“I also want to hold our politicians accountable. I’ll use this opportunity to call on the government to withdraw aides from those not entitled. Specifically, the National Assembly should enact laws and pass stringent legislation protecting citizens’ lives.

“All unnecessary security aides should be withdrawn, prompting politicians to take security seriously. Currently, they seem apathetic due to their protected status, with guarded homes and escorts, making them less concerned.”

The Director, Defence Media Operations, Major General Markus Kangye, said the attack was not limited to Bokkos, but a widespread.

“If we ask why it’s recurring, it’s a question none of us can answer immediately. Efforts have been made by friendly journalists, community leaders, the military, and other security agencies, as well as various stakeholders, to put an end to these incidents.

“You know that the perpetrators are among us, and you cannot read people’s minds. Many peace talks have taken place, particularly on the Plateau. Every group has been engaged in some form of peace talk.

“They sign the peace deal, but as they leave, troublemakers embark on a different mission. These are the reasons behind the persistent attacks despite the efforts of the military, community leaders, political leadership and religious leaders.”

Chuks Okocha, Adedayo Akinwale, Sunday Aborisade, Linus Aleke in Abuja, Funmi Ogundare in Lagos, Fidelis David in Akure