APC man, Vatsa, says Buhari’s body language fueling tension; says insecurity is bad publicity for party

▪︎ Wonders why Niger State is neglected and Niger Republic is favoured

From Yahaya Adamu Minna

“We all know why we are having the current tension across the country but nobody wants to say the truth. Mr. President should change his body language because there is anger over certain actions and pronouncements”.

These were words of a former Commissioner for Information, Culture and Tourism and chieftain of the All Progressive Congress (APC) in Niger state, Jonathan Vatsa, on Monday as part of activities to mark his 60th birthday in Minna, the Niger State capital.

He was not done. He lamented that agitations from the South-East and South-West geopolitical zones for secession are consequent upon what the agitators see as injustice and marginalisation.

“Those spearheading the campaign for secession have no pedigree or capacity to speak for their regions but they are commanding followership because the people are feeling cheated, marginalised and unsafe in their own country”.

Speaking after visiting orphanage homes and Internally Displaced Peoples (IDPs)
Vatsa said though APC manifestos is rich enough to save the country, he regretted that individual ambition has overridden the party agenda.

“We are now so concerned about grazing routes and RUGA, and very lately construction of rail line to neighboring country of Niger Republic whereby employment generating projects like the Baro ports and the Baro rail line in Niger State have become abandoned projects.

“Is it because Mr. President has no cousins and uncles from Niger state that is why the Baro Port and the rail line projects are being abandoned, and nothing is being done to revive the rail line from Ilorin-Minna-Kaduna-Kano?” he asked.

Recall that in response to questions on the need for a railway line to Niger Republic, the President explained that he had cousins in that country. His comments had drawn outrage.

“Before we talk about grazing routes, let the government first of all recover all the ranches across the northern Nigeria that have been sold to politicians in the country. We need those ranches back as a starting point instead of causing confusion over grazing routes”.

On the growing level of insecurity in the country, occasioned by the activities of armed bandits especially in the north, Vatsa said “honestly it is a bad advertisement for the APC government which I am part of, I don’t know what we will tell Nigerians in 2023.

“In addition to the growing Insecurity, there is serious hunger in the land which is also fueling the Insecurity. The government should be concern about this so that the situation will not get to a point of no return.

“I decided to mark my 60th birthday today in a low key (way) because, as a father, my heart bleeds when I remember the 161 school children ages between 4 and 10 who are still being held captive for almost three weeks now by their abductors.

“My visit to the orphanage homes and IDPs camp today is show of concern and encourage them to be strong, and to let them know that their current predicament is a matter of time”.