The All Progressives Congress (APC) has emphatically guaranteed that President Bola Tinubu will never fall like former President Goodluck Jonathan in the 2027 general elections even as cases of insecurity in Nigeria are on the rise.
The governing party made the announcement following growing concern over the rise in violent attacks across Nigeria, many of which are suspected to sway voters in the next election.
The APC acknowledged insecurity played a significant role in Jonathan losing the 2015 election but insisted it is doing all it can to prevent history from repeating itself.
Speaking with THISDAY, the APC’s spokesperson Mr. Bala Ibrahim rejected claims that the escalating violence symbolizes a politically motivated conspiracy aimed at undermining Tinubu’s regime.
He informed that the president is not sleeping on his laurels but well understands the dangers.
“If this is actually the thinking of the naysayers, the government cannot just fold its arms,” Ibrahim said.
“President Tinubu is aware of the issue that can cause him to lose the election, and he’s acting to prevent it.”
He cited the appointment of National Security Adviser (NSA), Mallam Nuhu Ribadu, as one of the decisive moves in strengthening Nigeria’s security system.
Ribadu, according to Ibrahim, has been touring areas of strife to re-invigorate the insurgency fight and to encourage the troops.
Referring to the recent developments, Ibrahim also quoted President Tinubu as having directed Minister of State for Defence, Bello Matawalle, to relocate to the North-West — a region that has been plagued by banditry.
This, he said, has yielded great victories for the military.
“The president is not going to be defeated by himself,” said Ibrahim. “He’s establishing steps to ensure results and is giving priority to Nigerians’ security.
People are freely moving now in places that were once deemed unsafe — like corridors from Abuja to Sokoto and Maiduguri.”
He acknowledged that some hotspots remain, but said these are signs of progress, not failure. “It means we’re getting close to victory.
When a battle is nearing its end, the heat intensifies. But that’s not defeat — that’s the final push.”
The APC also cited diplomatic matters as being part of the insecurity problem.
Nigeria’s tense relationship with its Francophone neighbors — especially in light of Niger’s recent political crisis — has undermined regional collaboration in the fight against insurgency, Ibrahim added.
“Nigeria cannot do this alone. The current tension with countries like Niger has hindered joint operations through the Multinational Joint Task Force (MJTF),” he said.
“But thanks to Ribadu’s strategic efforts, we’ve seen a noticeable drop in the scale and frequency of attacks.”
He further claimed that attacks in states like Zamfara, Kebbi, and Sokoto have reduced, indicating that the government’s counter-insurgency efforts are starting to pay off.
While there are increasing demands for action, others are calling for action.
Afenifere, a socio-political organization of the Yoruba, has called on the federal government to collaborate with the governors in order to come up with new mechanisms for addressing insecurity.
In the Senate, senators representing the 19 northern states decried the continued attacks in Plateau and Benue, promising to resist any move to normalize violence.
Abia former DSS Director Mike Ejiofor also added that the current insecurity is caused by intelligence lapses, insufficient manpower, and a lack of high-tech technology in Nigeria’s security systems.
