Former Anambra State Governor and presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), Peter Obi, on Monday joined other political leaders at the unveiling and commissioning of the presidential campaign office of Oyo State Governor and Allied Peoples Movement (APM) presidential candidate, Seyi Makinde, in Abuja.
The campaign office was commissioned on Monday, September 7, in Abuja, where Lawal Musa Daura, Makinde’s vice presidential candidate, APM leaders and other political supporters were in attendance.
Obi’s presence at the event has further drawn attention to the growing realignment among opposition political forces ahead of the 2027 general elections, with Makinde using the occasion to renew his call for opposition leaders to work together in the interest of Nigerians.
The campaign office, located in Wuse II, Abuja, is expected to serve as the national coordinating centre for the Makinde-Lawan Daura presidential campaign as the APM intensifies preparations for the 2027 presidential election.
In a message after the commissioning, Makinde described the opening of the office as another significant step towards achieving his administration’s proposed national agenda, which he has branded the “Reset Nigeria Agenda.”
He thanked political leaders, supporters and other stakeholders who attended the ceremony, specifically acknowledging Obi for his presence.
“Today’s commissioning of our campaign office in Abuja is another step towards our goal to build a country that works for every Nigerian under the Reset Nigeria Agenda,” Makinde said.
“Let me take this opportunity to thank everyone who was a part of the event including my brother, HE Peter Obi. As I said in my remarks, the opposition must work together in the forthcoming 2027 election.”
Obi’s appearance alongside Makinde and other opposition figures is coming against the backdrop of intensified political consultations and realignments ahead of the 2027 election, with opposition politicians increasingly discussing the need for greater cooperation to challenge the ruling political establishment.
Also present at the ceremony was Bauchi State Governor and APM National Leader, Bala Mohammed, alongside senior party officials, supporters and other political stakeholders.
Speaking at the event, Mohammed warned politicians who might be tempted to dismiss the APM and its presidential candidate, saying the party was prepared to make a significant impact in the 2027 contest.
“Whoever disregards us is at his own peril. We are here to reset Nigeria and we are bringing in one of the best human capitals that Nigeria has ever produced at the sub-national and national level, that is Makinde,” Mohammed said.
He urged Nigerians not to underestimate Makinde’s capacity to govern at the national level, pointing to his experience as Oyo State governor and his background as an engineer, administrator and manager of resources.
According to him, Makinde had demonstrated an ability to achieve significant results despite operating with limited resources.
Mohammed said: “I don’t want Nigerians to underrate him, especially the candidates, and they would see the wonders of the world. This is a mobiliser, a manager of resources, an engineer per excellence.
“Somebody who used little resources and did so much. Where there was abject neglect and abandonment in Oyo State, he brought urban renewal to a level that nobody has ever done it.”
The Bauchi governor also stressed the importance of having a strong political structure and competent leadership, describing the APM as a platform prepared to offer Nigerians an alternative ahead of 2027.
The opening of the campaign office represents a further escalation of the APM’s presidential campaign machinery, with the party expected to use the Abuja facility to coordinate its nationwide mobilisation and engagement with voters.
The party has said its campaign will be driven by issues, policy proposals and Makinde’s record in Oyo State, rather than merely partisan rhetoric.
The APM has positioned Makinde’s candidacy around the “Reset Nigeria” agenda, which it says is designed to address the country’s challenges in security, economic development, accountability, prosperity and public welfare.
Makinde has similarly presented his presidential ambition as a national project, arguing that Nigeria needs a new approach to governance capable of restoring public confidence and delivering tangible improvements in the lives of citizens.
His emergence as the APM presidential candidate has added another prominent political figure to an increasingly competitive 2027 presidential landscape.
Makinde, who is serving his second term as governor of Oyo State, is constitutionally barred from seeking a third term as governor in 2027, paving the way for his transition from state-level leadership to the national political arena.
The APM has also completed its presidential ticket with Lawan Daura as Makinde’s running mate, giving the party a North-South combination as it seeks to build a national coalition beyond its traditional political strongholds.
The presence of Obi at Monday’s event is therefore expected to fuel further discussions about the possibility of broader cooperation among opposition leaders as political parties and movements begin to consolidate their structures ahead of the 2027 poll.
For Makinde, however, the immediate message from the commissioning was clear: the APM intends to move beyond political declarations and build a nationwide campaign structure capable of taking its Reset Nigeria message directly to voters across the country.