Northern APC: Could it be the Stockholm syndrome?

Stockholm syndrome is a psychological phenomenon in which hostages or victims develop emotional bonds or positive feelings toward their captors, sometimes to the extent of defending them or opposing authorities trying to rescue them. This complex reaction is often viewed as a survival mechanism, where the victim subconsciously aligns with the captor to reduce perceived threats and ensure safety.

The All Progressives Congress (APC) and President Bola Ahmed Tinubu have effectively taken the people of Nigeria as hostages, particularly the people of the northern part of the country, who are bearing the brunt of the government’s harsh economic policies and misgovernance. The ransom is the guarantee that Tinubu will be returned as president in 2027.  The leadership cadre of the APC in the North is behaving just like bandit informants, who grovel at the table of the president for leftovers. They are not averse to practically selling their followers to the president as long as he is willing to allow them to keep picking the after-dinner crumbs.  The region and the people are of no importance to them.

The gale of “endowments” started like a flicker of flame and ironically was lit by governors from opposition parties in a choreographed manner, and then others queued up to take the kindling from the pioneers.  Some say the spread was possible because the president has succeeded in pauperising over 70 per cent of the populace.

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The northern leg of the charade began in Kaduna when the North West APC met at the Umaru Musa Yar’Adua Conference Hall on Saturday, May 18, 2025, with the twin agenda of passing a vote of confidence on the administration (and by extension, administrative style) of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and also “endorse” the president as the party’s sole candidate for the presidential election in 2027.  This confidence vote and “endorsement” came amidst excruciating poverty occasioned by unprecedented insecurity in the zone.

The declaration was made while hundreds and thousands from the zone have fled their homes and are living in the open with a hopeless present and an uncertain future.  While the leadership of the party is wining and dining in the comfort of the Yar’Adua Conference Hall, their people are dodging bullets and kidnappers in both rural and urban areas throughout the zone.

The North West could be described as the most dangerous zone in the country because bandits are essentially in control of the rural areas in about four of the six states in the zone. The ambience in the affected states discourages any economic or commercial activity in an area that is already grappling with poverty and neglect.

Then the parade of “endorsements” morphed into sycophancy with all governors elected on the platform of the APC coming out to join the queue; then followed the National Assembly, an arm of government that has become an arm of the presidency; then other sundry elected and appointed officials falling head over heels not to be left out in the show of shame.

The people in the North already feel alienated from their political leaders because they believe their needs and concerns are being ignored and are of no consequence to these leaders. What happened in Kaduna and the subsequent follow-ups are just another way of rubbing it in for the poor, hapless people.

It appears our political leaders care less if this could lead to a loss of trust in them and their party. They don’t care whether the people’s discontent can result in lower voter turnout in future elections, as people may feel their participation won’t lead to meaningful change.

The North is a significant region in terms of voter numbers. Losing support here could have a substantial impact on the party’s overall performance in national elections. What I fail to fathom is – is the APC planning not to hold elections in the region, thereby disenfranchising the electorate, using insecurity as an alibi? Is the party planning to sit in a hall, like the Yar ‘Adua Conference Centre hall and write results for an election that couldn’t be held and declare Tinubu and the APC as winners?

Do they care whether disillusioned voters might shift their support to opposition parties that promise to address their concerns, thereby weakening the APC’s electoral base?

The very essence of the livelihood of the people of the North has been under direct attack for the past 15 years, which Tinubu’s ‘I don’t-care’ attitude is aggravating.  Herders and farmers are not allowed to co-exist, which, in my view, is deliberate; this successfully denies the region any meaningful economic or commercial activity.

The level of poverty in the region is second to none in the country with all the indices indicating the backwards trajectory of the region.  School-age children are roaming the streets; rural-urban migration is on the increase thereby increasing pressure on the urban areas, stretching existing infrastructure and services.

I am just scared that if the neglect is severe, it could lead to protests and demonstrations, which might disrupt social order and create instability. Persistent unrest can lead to more security challenges, requiring government intervention which we all know may lead to the killing, maiming and destruction of properties, which will only exacerbate the poverty level of our people.

I pray for the North and hope this is not a case of the Stockholm Syndrome.

Toungo can be reached via   [email protected]