Insecurity greater threat to Tinubu’s re-election than opposition –Veteran journalist, Ishaku

From Jude Owuamanam, Jos

Former General Manager of Standard Newspapers, Jonathan Ishaku, has said the greater challenge to President Bola Tinubu’s re-election bid in 2027 is not the opposition but the insecurity ravaging the country.

Ishaku, who spoke in Jos, said if Tinubu’s aspirations in 2027 were to be realised, he must contend with the worsening insecurity in Nigeria, especially in the Middle Belt region.

He said while opposition parties and political figures such as former vice president Atiku Abubakar and Peter Obi and Rabiu Kwankwanso “continue to dominate national discourse, they remain structurally weak and fragmented to mount a coordinated challenge against the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC.”

While acknowledging  that Tinubu has continued to expand and consolidate his political influence, he maintained that the spate of insecurity posed a threat more potent and far greater  than any opposition alliance.

The veteran journalist said the intermittent  attacks in Benue, Plateau, Nasarawa, Southern Kaduna, and neighbouring states have heightened apprehension especially with their frequency and intensity.

He said insecurity in the region has emerged as one of the most critical factors ahead of the 2027 elections and warned that it could reshape the country’s political landscape unless it’s addressed urgently.

Ishaku argued that the security situation is exacerbated by economic hardship, which had rendered Nigerians more insecure.

“The growing perception that the Federal Government is incapable of putting to a stop the killings is becoming politically more significant than official statements or reassurances from government authorities.

“Nigeria is currently under renewed international scrutiny, including the alleged genocide against Christians and its designation  as a Country of Particular Concern, (CPC).

“The continued violence, especially as the CPC is under review, could further damage Nigeria’s international image and complicate diplomatic as well as economic engagements.

“Once citizens begin to feel that the state cannot guarantee their safety, political loyalty becomes fragile,” he said.