YPP elects new state executives, unveils Wafiarninyi Theman as guber candidate

By Billy Graham Abel, Yola

The Young Progressives Party (YPP) in Adamawa State has taken a major step toward positioning itself for the next electoral cycle with the election of a new State Executive Committee and the formal adoption of former APC State Secretary, Pharm. Wafiarninyi Theman, as its governorship candidate.

The development emerged during the party’s State Congress held at Bridgewood Hotel, Yola, where delegates from the 21 local government areas of the state gathered alongside officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and security agencies who monitored the exercise.

The congress, described by party leaders as transparent, peaceful, and inclusive, culminated in the emergence of a new leadership team tasked with strengthening the party’s grassroots presence and expanding its political influence across Adamawa State.

Announcing the results, the Returning Officer, Vidiyeno Bamaiyi, said the newly elected executives emerged through a broad-based consultative process aimed at fostering unity and preparing the party for future electoral contests.

According to him, the YPP is entering a new era of strategic reorganisation, renewed commitment, and people-oriented politics.

“Today marks the beginning of a new chapter for the Young Progressives Party in Adamawa State. We have succeeded in building a united leadership structure and presenting a credible governorship candidate with the experience, capacity, and understanding of the challenges confronting our people,” Bamaiyi stated.

He expressed confidence that the new executive council would deepen grassroots mobilisation, strengthen party structures, and position the YPP as a formidable force in the state’s political landscape.

Shortly after his emergence as the party’s standard-bearer, Pharm. Wafiarninyi Theman formally unveiled his “New Adamawa” vision, promising a government driven by youth empowerment, women emancipation, economic transformation, security, and transparent governance.

Addressing party faithful and supporters, Theman declared that his ambition was not motivated by a desire for power but by a commitment to service and the urgent need to reverse what he described as years of underperformance despite the state’s abundant human and natural resources.

He said Adamawa’s vast potential has remained largely untapped due to poor leadership and misplaced priorities, leaving many young people unemployed, farmers unsupported, and communities underdeveloped.

“The driving force behind my aspiration is the desire to reverse the poverty index in Adamawa State and ensure prosperity for all through broad economic transformation, poverty alleviation, youth evolution, women emancipation, and geriatric revival,” he said.

The governorship candidate described the YPP as a platform built on the politics of ideas, service, and accountability rather than intimidation and personal interests.

According to him, job creation will be a cornerstone of his administration. He pledged to invest heavily in skills acquisition programmes, digital employment opportunities, agricultural development, and funding support for small and medium-scale enterprises.

Theman promised that every young person with talent, innovation, or a viable business idea would receive the necessary support to succeed.

On security, he stressed that sustainable development cannot thrive without peace and stability, promising to work closely with communities, traditional institutions, security agencies, and other stakeholders to address insecurity across the state’s 21 local government areas.

He also outlined plans to overhaul the education and healthcare sectors through the rehabilitation of schools, improved learning environments, better-equipped hospitals, and expanded access to affordable healthcare services.

“Every child deserves access to quality education, and every family deserves affordable healthcare. The future of our state should not be determined by the economic status of parents,” he said.

Theman identified infrastructure and agriculture as critical pillars for economic growth, pledging to rehabilitate roads, improve access to water and electricity, and support farmers in transitioning from subsistence farming to commercial and agro-industrial production.

He said his administration would focus on value addition within the agricultural value chain to create jobs and boost internally generated revenue.

A major highlight of his campaign message was accountability and transparency in government.

The YPP candidate promised that public budgets would be openly published, project implementation would be tracked transparently, and citizens would have access to information regarding government spending.

“We will end secret contracts, abandoned projects, and wasteful spending. Government must be accountable to the people at all times,” he said.

Speaking on unity and inclusion, Theman noted that Adamawa’s strength lies in its rich diversity of more than 80 ethnic groups. He assured residents across Adamawa North, Central, and South Senatorial Zones that his administration would be fair, inclusive, and committed to equitable development.

Party stakeholders who spoke during the congress described the exercise as a demonstration of the YPP’s commitment to democratic principles and internal cohesion.

They expressed optimism that the emergence of a new executive council and the adoption of Theman as governorship candidate would energise party members, attract new supporters, and offer Adamawa voters a credible alternative anchored on competence, accountability, and people-centred governance.

At the conclusion of the congress, party leaders announced plans to embark on statewide consultations, membership drives, and grassroots mobilisation efforts ahead of the next election season.

Political observers believe the emergence of Pharm. Wafiarninyi Theman, a seasoned political administrator with extensive grassroots experience, could significantly reshape opposition politics in Adamawa and strengthen the YPP’s competitiveness in the state’s evolving political landscape.

Calling on citizens to embrace his vision, Theman described the 2027 governorship race as a collective mission rather than a personal ambition.

“Together, we can build the Adamawa of our dreams. With YPP, with your support, and with your votes, a new Adamawa is possible,” he declared.This version reads like a major political feature story suitable for a newspaper, online news platform, or campaign coverage publication.