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From Ndubuisi Orji, Abuja
Oyo State governor, Seyi Makinde, is unrelenting in his quest to sack the All Progressives Congress (APC) and President Bola Tinubu from the Aso Rock Villa in the January 16, 2027 presidential poll. Makinde is the Allied Peoples Movement (APM) Presidential Candidate, with former Director General of the Department of State Services (DSS), Lawal Daura, as running mate.
Makinde, armed with his Reset Nigeria Agenda, believes that next year’s contest will be between Nigerians and the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC). Thus, he is mobilizing voters across the country to get their Permanent Voters Cards (PVCs), so that they can show the ruling party the exit door in next year’s general election and enthrone the APM.
Until recently, the APM was one of the fringe political parties in the country. However, in the run-up to the 2027 general election, the party has emerged as one of the dominant players. In the last four months, the opposition has moved from obscurity to being a major political player ahead of the 2027 polls, following the emergence of the Oyo State governor as its presidential candidate.
The opposition party, which is among the four major political parties participating in the 2027 general election has been holding the feet of the APC to the fire over the state of security, economy and general wellbeing of the country and her citizens under the present administration. In a recent statement, the APM stated that Nigeria cannot afford another four years of President Tinubu’s administration, and urged the President to withdraw from the 2027 contest and support Makinde.
According to the party, “more frightening is that the future of over 250 million Nigerians has been mortgaged to foreign interests by the Tinubu administration’s reckless borrowings which has pushed our nation’s debt burden to a scary N159.28 trillion, with nothing on ground to show as most of the proceeds are reported to have been diverted to private purses.
“The fact is that Nigeria cannot afford another four years under such an insensitive and rudderless administration. President Tinubu must understand that Nigeria requires a leader with full stamina, who is present, accessible and fully engaged in governance. Governance cannot be left to uncertainty, nor can the lives of about 250 million Nigerians be placed on autopilot… The APM again urges President Tinubu to reconsider his intention to seek another term, withdraw from the 2027 presidential race and be patriotic by supporting Engr. Makinde in the overall interest of the nation.”
For the APM National chairman, Yusuf Dantalle, the opposition party heralds a new dawn in Nigerian politics and offers a viable alternative to Nigerians as a platform with people-oriented politics. Dantalle, who spoke at the unveiling of the Makinde/Daura campaign Headquarters, in Abuja, recently, said the APM is poised to chart a new course for the country.
“It is a new dawn in our democratic governance. The APM offers citizens a viable alternative as a political party anchored on integrity, sacrifice and service to the people essential to redirect the ship of the Nigeria state from its perilous course to the path of rectitude, progress, development and advancement. The Makinde/Daura ticket offers hope to millions of Nigerians who desire and deserve good governance, fruits of democracy, visionary and compassionate leadership, national security, economic prosperity and socio-religious harmony,” the party chairman stated.
The APM National Leader, and Bauchi State governor, Bala Mohammed concurs. The Bauchi governor says the APM offers an opportunity for the building of a new Nigeria, where citizens, irrespective of tribe, religion, age and gender are able to actualize their aspirations. While noting that as President, Makinde would record giant strides and “reset Nigeria” within a very short time, stated that “Our motto is Nigeria First. And Nigeria is what is in our mind.”
Makinde posits that while there is a tendency for some persons to dismiss his quest for the Presidency in next year’s election, he was not bothered by such disposition , noting that he has passed that same road before.
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The Presidential hopeful recalled that “When I first asked the people of Oyo State to entrust me with the responsibility of serving them, many people said I did not stand a chance. They looked at the established political forces, looked at me, and concluded that I could not win. But the people of Oyo State had other ideas. So, when they say today that this campaign does not count, I do not take it personally.
“What they are really saying is that the hopes of millions of Nigerians do not count. They are saying that the market woman struggling with rising prices does not count. That the young person searching for an opportunity does not count. That the farmer, the worker, the small-business owner and every Nigerian who believes this country can be better do not count.
“But we count. Our voices count. Our experiences count. Our ideas count. And, together, our votes will count. That is why Reset Nigeria cannot be a conversation among politicians alone. It must become a conversation in our homes, markets, schools, offices, farms, factories and communities. We want to hear from the trader who struggles whenever transport costs rise.”
Last week, the Makinde/ Daura Presidential Campaign berthed at the North West, last week. It was the beginning of the campaign organization’s zonal town hall meetings designed to take the Reset Nigeria message to the people and get their buy-in into the Makinde presidential project. The Town Hall meeting which was held in Katsina, attracted critical stakeholders in the zone.
The North West Town hall meeting, according to the party, is the first of many engagements with citizens across the country on critical issues of national importance especially those touching on the stability of the nation and the wellbeing of all its citizens.
The APM candidate, while speaking at the North West Townhall meeting, said his administration will reset the economy and make it run for 24 hours, reset education, and reset the country’s security architecture. According to him, “We are determined to reset our economy. Yes, people will argue that Nigeria is rich in natural resources. But natural resources are not enough. You must have skills and knowledge, and you must also have intensive production. Our economy must work 24/7. Otherwise, if our economy shuts down at 7 or 8 o’clock in the evening, we cannot compete with economies that are running 24/7.
“We want to reset our education. We want to measure the data that we are being given. We want to know how many out-of-school children we have and how we get them back into school. We also want to reset the security architecture in Nigeria.”
He added “and for the election, I maintain and repeat it: it won’t be APC versus APM, or APM versus ADC, or ADC versus NDC. It will be APC versus Nigerians. Please get your PVC and show the APC that Nigeria is bigger than individuals. It is bigger than even the systems that have held us down.” So, together, let us embark on the Reset Agenda so that we have a Nigeria that will work for everybody, irrespective of tribe, religion or which corner of Nigeria you decide to stay in.”
The APM National Chairman says while the road ahead may be tough, the opposition party is optimistic that it would win the 2027 presidential contest and offer a people-centric governance to Nigerians.
Dantalle said “the road ahead is not easy, however there is light at the end of our democratic tunnel. A brighter, more prosperous and more secured nation awaits us in the Allied People’s Movement- led Federal Government. Be rest assured that Makinde will be President to all Nigerians as he has ably demonstrated as Governor of Oyo State. For the first time citizens will know that they have a President they can call their own, a President who cares, who feels their pains and who is ready to work for them.”
