2027: Judiciary, INEC May Truncate Nigeria’s Democracy — APC Chieftain, Vatsa

A chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and former Niger State Commissioner for Information, Culture and Tourism, Jonathan Vatsa, has warned that Nigeria’s democracy could face serious threats ahead of the 2027 general elections if key institutions fail to act impartially.

Vatsa raised the concern on Sunday while speaking with journalists in Minna after a thanksgiving service held to mark his 64th birthday.

He expressed fears that the actions of the judiciary and the perceived posture of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) could undermine democratic stability and plunge the country into political uncertainty.

According to him, both institutions have critical roles to play in safeguarding Nigeria’s democratic process and must remain neutral in the discharge of their responsibilities.

Vatsa also predicted a major crisis within the APC, saying the internal challenges facing the ruling party would eventually overshadow the disputes currently affecting opposition parties.

He pointed to the delay in announcing the outcome of the party’s primary elections, conducted several weeks ago, as evidence of deep-rooted problems within the APC.

“The day the results are released will mark the beginning of the mother of all crises in the APC,” he said.

The former commissioner argued that while crises in opposition parties were allegedly being fuelled from outside, the APC’s challenges were largely self-inflicted and more dangerous.

He maintained that both the judiciary and INEC would bear responsibility if political developments before the 2027 elections destabilise the country.

Vatsa further accused the APC leadership of abandoning internal democracy during its recent primary elections, particularly in Niger State.

He alleged that a significant number of candidates emerged through what he described as a Government House-backed consensus arrangement rather than a transparent democratic process.

According to him, the development amounted to the imposition of candidates and could create resentment among party members.

He questioned the fairness of allowing some politicians to seek multiple terms in office while others were prevented from pursuing additional mandates, warning that such actions could encourage anti-party activities.

Vatsa said many party members were unhappy with the situation but had remained silent for personal reasons.

Reflecting on the formation of the APC, he lamented that many founding members had been sidelined by politicians who joined the party after it attained power.

He insisted that despite the challenges, he would remain committed to the party as one of its founding members