THE National Chairman of the Young Progressives Party (YPP), Bishop Amakiri, has openly criticized Nigeria’s newly formed opposition coalition, stating that nearly 85% of its members are politicians who have previously failed the nation.
Speaking this morning on Channels TV, Amakiri questioned the credibility of the coalition—comprising key political figures like Atiku Abubakar, Peter Obi, Nasir El-Rufai, and Rotimi Amaechi—accusing them of lacking the moral authority to lead any meaningful change.
“I find it difficult to believe that 85% of those in that coalition can genuinely offer Nigerians a new direction. Most of them have contributed to the country’s political dysfunction,” Amakiri said. “We are in urgent need of a new political leadership model—not a recycling of past failures.”
He referred to the group as a cluster of “political power mongers” driven more by personal ambition than national interest.
“These are people who have already had their chance and led us nowhere. Now they want to reclaim power under the guise of a new coalition. It’s just another attempt to manipulate Nigerians, giving the same old game a new name,” he said.
Amakiri further likened the group’s activities to the political shifts of 2015, which he claimed only resulted in replacing one government with another that offered no tangible improvement.
The YPP chairman also dismissed concerns about some members of his own party defecting to the coalition, explaining that YPP remains focused on legislative dominance rather than a presidential race.
“Our mission is not hurried. We are building toward parliamentary influence because we believe real change starts with lawmaking,” he said.
His remarks come in the wake of a major opposition meeting at the Yar’Adua Centre in Abuja, where the African Democratic Congress (ADC) was adopted as the official political platform for the coalition ahead of the 2027 general elections.
The event saw ADC founder Ralph Nwosu hand over the party’s membership card to former Senate President David Mark and former Osun governor Rauf Aregbesola, who were named interim chairman and secretary of the coalition, respectively.
Also in attendance were prominent figures across party lines, including Dele Momodu, Dino Melaye, Senator Ireti Kingibe, Senator Gabriel Suswam, Solomon Dalung, Emeka Ihedioha, and retired Air Marshal Sadique Abubakar.
Representatives from the PDP, Labour Party, and Social Democratic Party were also present, indicating the coalition’s broad-based strategy to challenge the APC in 2027.