PROSPER OKOYE
The Young Progressives Party (YPP) is united and ready to compete for power in the 2027 general election following the successful conclusion of its national convention and presidential primary, the Federal Capital Territory Chairman, Abraham Simon Adedotun said on Saturday.
P.M.EXPRESS reports that Adedotun spoke after the convention in Abuja. He said that the disagreements that emerged during the proceedings had been resolved, allowing the party to focus on preparations for the next election cycle.
“The party is very, very ready. Everything has been settled,” he said.
The convention produced businesswoman and women’s advocate Anita Zugwai-Chukwu as the party’s sole presidential candidate for the 2027 presidential election, making her the first woman to fly the party’s flag in a presidential contest.
Adedotun described the convention as free and fair, saying it was conducted in line with the party’s constitution and electoral guidelines.
“There were some in-house disagreements, but politics involves dialogue and settlement. We have resolved the issues and the party is ready to move forward,” he said.
He said the emergence of a female presidential candidate demonstrated the party’s belief that leadership should be based on competence rather than gender.
“We want Nigerians to understand that nothing is impossible. All that is needed is courage, trust and confidence,” he said.
Speaking shortly after her emergence, Zugwai-Chukwu said she was honoured by the party’s confidence in her and pledged to run an issue-based campaign focused on addressing Nigeria’s social and economic challenges.
“Very soon we shall be rolling out our plans and policies on how we can make Nigeria a better nation,” she said.
“So many things have gone wrong and we shall be doing an issue-based campaign to address the issues that matter to Nigerians.”
The candidate also pledged to continue advocating for greater political representation for women and support efforts to increase female participation in elective and appointive offices.
YPP National Chairman, Bishop Amakiri, said the party would continue to campaign on its core principle of public service, arguing that elected officials produced by the party had remained committed to serving their constituents.
“Service to the people has always been our ultimate objective,” Amakiri said.
He acknowledged that the death of former senator Ifeanyi Ubah had affected the party but insisted that YPP had remained focused and continued to expand its political presence.
“It would be unfair to say his loss did not affect the party, but the party remains focused and on track,” he said.
The convention marks the beginning of YPP’s preparations for the 2027 elections as political parties begin positioning themselves for what is expected to be a highly contested presidential race.
