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Says Nigeria needs a visionary, energetic person as president
From Priscilla Ediare, Ado-Ekiti
A presidential aspirant on the platform of the Young Progressives Party (YPP), Hon. Jide Filani, has formally declared his intention to contest the 2027 presidential election.
The aspirant lamented that the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) under President Bola Tinubu has failed to provide workable solutions to the nation’s challenges, vowing to address these issues through purposeful leadership if elected.
Filani, a civil engineer by profession, made the declaration at the YPP State Secretariat in Ado-Ekiti during a high-level meeting with the party’s State Working Committee (SWC) and stakeholders, where he positioned his ambition as a decisive intervention in what he described as Nigeria’s worsening crisis.
Addressing party leaders, the aspirant said his decision to join the race was driven by a deep dissatisfaction with the current state of the nation. “Everything is wrong with Nigeria; nothing is working right now—from the economy to security, health, education, agriculture, infrastructure, among others. Nigeria is only moving backwards,” he declared.
Filani, who is also involved in estate development and management, said that “Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda has been able to achieve renewed hopelessness characterised by poverty and untold hardship,” stressing that his ambition represents a shift toward “vision, sincerity, and people-centred governance.”
The Ikole-Ekiti-born politician, who has built much of his political influence in Lagos State, said he came to Ekiti, his home state, to align with his people and avail them of his aspiration. “If we can believe it, we can achieve it. I am sure we can defeat the incumbent president,” he said, adding, “I need to start from my home front because charity begins at home.”
Filani took a swipe at President Tinubu’s administration, particularly over the lingering electricity crisis, which he said contradicts earlier promises made to Nigerians. “The President said if he does not solve the problem of electricity in four years, people should not vote for him for another term. Have they been able to solve the problem since coming on board? He has not been able to solve the problem. What we have is a worsening electricity crisis and he still wants the people to vote for him again.”
He also condemned the culture of vote-buying and political inducements, accusing both the ruling party and sections of the opposition of undermining democracy. “I will never buy votes, the reason our people sell their votes is because our politicians are liars. They don’t fulfil their campaign promises,” Filani said, noting that monetised politics had reduced citizens to “inanimate objects.”
He decried the rising insecurity in the country, accusing the federal government of losing control of the nation’s armed forces. “The President is the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, but he has lost command of security. They have rendered our soldiers, Navy, and Air Force ineffective. This is because our leaders are not leading by example. There is too much mediocrity in the system.
“Nigeria has about 1,908 borders and people have been moving in and out anytime. We are going to build walls round all our borders to checkmate movement of people in and out of the country.”
Describing his ambition as God-ordained, the middle-aged politician said he would ensure purposeful leadership and deliver true governance toward rebuilding a better and greater Nigeria, urging Nigerians to stop voting elderly people into elective offices and stating that young, visionary, and energetic people should be voted into offices, particularly in the executive arm.
“With President Tinubu’s age, I don’t think he can work up to five hours in a day. We need visionary and energetic people in the executive, because the executive determines everything in the country.
“We are not afraid of big names. It is high time the youth occupied leadership positions. The vision that I have will unite, reform, reshape, remould, recreate and prosper Nigeria at this critical time if elected.”
Reeling out his policy direction, Filani identified agriculture, security, job creation, infrastructure, health, and education as key pillars of his administration if elected. He criticised what he described as misplaced national priorities, questioning high government expenditures amid widespread poverty.
“If you look at the money they are wasting away for lawmakers at the National Assembly and the billions of naira yearly budgeted for the President’s feeding and entertainment, and other areas, you will know our government has been using our money for unproductive purposes.
“How can a president buy a N230 billion jet when about 30 per cent of our children are out of school?” he queried.
On education, he promised to implement a compulsory free education policy nationwide, dismissing concerns over funding. “If billions can be spent on luxury items, then funding education should not be a problem,” he said, revealing that he currently has 89 students under his scholarship scheme and has been sponsoring students for over 15 years through his foundation.
Filani also decried the state of Nigeria’s healthcare system, describing it as inadequate and failing vulnerable populations. “Do we have good healthcare system? Basically no. Our pregnant women are suffering, and many now rely on traditional herbs sellers, which is unacceptable,” he added.
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On agriculture, he argued that Nigeria’s vast land resources remain largely untapped, saying, “the country can feed the whole of Africa if resources are optimally utilised. We have about 84 million hectares of land out of which about 30 per cent is being cultivated. And even the areas cultivated are majorly for subsistence farming, our farmers only grow crops to feed themselves and their families, not large scale farming.
“The uncultivated areas have become havens for bandits. If we use our lands productively, insecurity will reduce in the country.
“In our first 100 days we would have grown grains to alleviate hunger in the land.”
He dismissed claims that South-west states are rooting for incumbent President Tinubu to continue in office beyond 2027, noting only people that are benefiting from his government are supporting his second-term ambition.
“How many people from the South want President Tinubu to continue in office? What has he done for Nigerians that will make them to vote for him again? Only the few people benefitting from President Tinubu’s government are rooting for him to return to office. The Yoruba people are not with Tinubu.”
He regretted that Nigeria’s leaders are only feeding fat on the nation’s resources and the citizens are governed by “insincere leaders who only think of the next election and not how to develop the country.”
Earlier in his remarks, Ekiti State YPP Chairman, Hon. Owoola Daramola, described Filani as a credible, visionary, and dynamic person capable of leading Nigeria out of its current challenges.
“We have assessed your capacity and we believe you are the kind of person we need to fly the party’s flag. At this point in time, we need youths to govern this country because it is the youth that really understands what is in the system. For Nigeria to have true governance, we need youth that is very agile and able, to lead us in this country.
“Your decision to seek the highest office in our nation under the banner of our great party, the Young Progressives Party, is a testament to the bold and progressive ideals that YPP represents. Though you are flying the flag from Lagos, we are proud that your roots are firmly planted here in Ikole-Ekiti. And Ekiti is indeed home.
“We in YPP Ekiti State are not just excited about your aspiration — we are committed to it. At a time when Nigeria desperately needs visionary, youthful, and credible leadership, your emergence offers hope to millions of young people and ordinary Nigerians who yearn for a new order.
“This event, though limited to the State Working Committee, is significant. We are the engine room of the party in this state. We assure you that YPP Ekiti is united, structured, and ready. We will mobilise, we will organise, and we will deliver for YPP at all levels.
“We urge you to carry the message of YPP — a message of competence, character, and courage — to every corner of this nation. As you go, know that your home base, Ekiti Kete, is solidly behind you.”
Daramola criticised the current administration, alleging that the President Tinubu-led government is not committed to impacting the lives of Nigerians, insisting that Nigerians deserve better leadership. “Tinubu might be good to some people, but for those of us who want the best for this country, he should be relieved from office through the ballot. I have not seen any meaningful change since he assumed office,” he stated.
Also, Ogun State YPP Chairman, Hon. Adeyemi Solomon, countered the allegation that no southerner should contest against President Tinubu. He questioned, “Is President Tinubu the owner of Nigeria? Is he the owner of South-west? Why can’t people from the southern region contest against him?
“This is democracy and everyone has a right to exercise their civic responsibility. If President Tinubu is leading well there won’t be need for anybody to contest against him.”
Solomon said ethnic narratives should be dismissed in national politics, urging Nigerians to focus on competence rather than regional sentiments. “Does suffering recognise tribe? There is no constitutional provision that makes anyone the owner of Nigeria,” he said, adding that “the country needs people of sound minds with clear ideas to occupy the number one position.”
He charged members to register in the ongoing YPP registration and the people to register with the party. He also appealed to the electorate to register and collect their Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs), to achieve ballot revolution in the election.
The event culminated in a strong call for what party leaders described as a “ballot revolution,” with Daramola declaring that the movement had grown beyond an individual ambition. “This is no longer just his project; it is ours. Like David against Goliath in the Bible, we are ready to challenge the might of the incumbent with the power of the people,” he concluded.
Other members of the Ekiti YPP State Working Committee at the event include Pst. Joshua Makinde (Deputy Chairman), Hon. Adeyemi Adeparusi (Public Relations Officer), Samuel Abiodun (Secretary), Victoria Temitope (Woman Leader), Adeleke Aderonke (Treasurer), Adeyemi Shina (Organising Secretary), Ojo Francis (Youth Leader), and Toluwani Joy (Welfare), among others.
