Nigeria’s Problem Isn’t Leadership—It’s Selfish Politicians, Says Anglican Archbishop
The Archbishop of Kaduna Province and Bishop of the Kaduna Diocese of the Anglican Communion, Most Rev. Timothy Yahaya, has issued a fiery condemnation of Nigeria’s political class, accusing them of rampant opportunism and eroding the essence of democratic governance.
Speaking during the 24th Synod of the Kaduna Diocese held at St. Michael’s Cathedral, Rev. Yahaya lamented that most members of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) were originally part of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), branding the continuous defections as selfish and destabilizing.
“I say this without fear of contradiction: 70% of those in the APC today were once in the PDP. It’s the same group of people,” Yahaya declared. “And who are they? Opportunists — moving wherever there’s a share of the national cake.”
According to the Archbishop, these frequent political crossovers are driven by personal gain rather than any ideological difference or commitment to national progress.
“There is no real opposition in Nigeria today. If the national cake moves to another party, these same people will follow it,” he said. “They don’t know where they’re coming from, and they certainly don’t know where they’re going.”
He called for a restriction on political defections, at least until a few months before general elections, urging lawmakers to introduce regulations that would compel politicians to focus on governance rather than self-preservation.
Rev. Yahaya also decried the moral collapse among political elites, contrasting Nigeria’s trajectory with countries like Singapore, which had a similar economic outlook in the 1960s but has since pulled far ahead.
“Back then, the naira was respected—even in London. Today, we can’t even use it in Ghana. I was in Ghana last December, and they were laughing at our currency,” he recounted.
He added: “These were the same people who once came to Nigeria for jobs. What happened to us?”
Calling on Nigerians to embrace patriotism, Yahaya stressed that the country still holds immense potential, if only its leaders would act with conscience and sincerity.
“I’m not a politician, but I pray for leaders who will put Nigeria first. This is the greatest country in the whole universe. If we get it right, the world will come to us.”
He concluded with a powerful prayer for political reawakening: “May God touch the consciences of those in power so that they remember the people and stop turning them into orphans in their own land.
