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The presidential candidate of the Allied Peoples Movement (APM), Seyi Makinde, has promised to overhaul Nigeria’s petroleum sector by making the management of crude oil and other aspects of the value chain more transparent if elected in 2027.
Makinde, who is also the Governor of Oyo State, made the pledge on Monday while speaking at the commissioning of the Makinde/Daura Presidential Campaign Office in Abuja.
He said his proposed “Reset Nigeria” agenda would address what he described as opaque practices in the petroleum industry and ensure Nigerians can track how the country’s oil resources are produced, processed and distributed.
According to him, transparency should cover every stage of the petroleum value chain, including crude oil production, domestic allocation, refining, transportation, distribution, taxation and retail margins.
Makinde also questioned the practice of charging Nigerian refineries international-equivalent prices for crude produced within the country.
He argued that Nigerians should enjoy a direct benefit from their natural resources through a domestic pricing structure that reflects the fact that the crude is produced locally.
“If a community grows food, the people of that community should not have to buy that food as though it travelled halfway around the world before reaching them. So, why should crude oil supplied to Nigerian refineries be priced as though Nigeria does not produce crude oil?” he asked.
The APM candidate said any benefit arising from Nigeria’s crude production should be incorporated into the petroleum system from the beginning through the price at which crude is sold to local refineries.
He opposed relying on what he described as unclear interventions at the petrol pump after transportation costs, inefficiencies and other expenses have already accumulated.
“That benefit should be built into the system from the beginning, through the price at which crude oil is supplied for domestic refining — not through an opaque intervention at the petrol pump after all the costs, inefficiencies and distortions have been added,” Makinde said.
He maintained that Nigerians deserve greater visibility into how government decisions are reached and how public resources are managed.
“Government must show its workings. Nigerians must be able to see how decisions are made and how national resources are managed,” he said.
Makinde further urged Nigerians to participate in the “Reset Nigeria” campaign, saying the initiative should not be limited to politicians but should address everyday economic challenges facing citizens.
He said the movement would seek input from traders affected by rising transportation costs, farmers struggling to move their produce, business owners dealing with changing fuel prices and young Nigerians concerned about their economic prospects.
Earlier, APM National Leader and Bauchi State Governor, Bala Mohammed, endorsed Makinde’s economic agenda and described him as one of the country’s strongest human resources.
Mohammed said Makinde had demonstrated an ability to mobilise people and manage resources during his tenure as Oyo governor.
The APM National Chairman, Yusuf Dantalle, said the party’s “Reset Nigeria” project was designed to provide an alternative political direction based on competence rather than ethnicity or religion.
He described the newly commissioned Abuja office as the party’s “engine room” ahead of the 2027 elections and expressed confidence in the Makinde-Daura ticket.
Former Anambra State Governor and presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), Peter Obi, who attended the event, also described Makinde as qualified to lead Nigeria.
Obi said political differences should not prevent opposition parties from working together to achieve better governance.
Similarly, former Niger State Governor and PDP Board of Trustees Secretary, Aliyu Babangida, called for stronger cooperation among opposition parties ahead of the 2027 election.
He said opposition groups were working towards presenting a single presidential candidate, adding that consideration would be given to a candidate from southern Nigeria after eight years of northern leadership.
The event was attended by the APM vice-presidential candidate, Lawal Daura, former Osun State Governor Olagunsoye Oyinlola, legislators, party officials and other supporters.
