Governor Seyi Makinde of Oyo State has declared that he is confident of defeating President Bola Tinubu in the 2027 presidential election.
Wondering why he had continued to get criticism since his declaration to run for the number one political office in the nation, Makinde insisted that the Southwest can produce more than one presidential candidate without undermining the region’s political interests.
Makinde, the presidential candidate of the Allied Peoples Movement (APM), cited the 1999 presidential election, when former President Olusegun Obasanjo contested against the late Chief Olu Falae, both from the Southwest, arguing that the region’s decision to field two candidates did not create any crisis.
He said the precedent should put to rest arguments that his presidential ambition should be abandoned because Tinubu, the incumbent president, also hails from the Southwest.
The governor spoke at the MakindeDaura2027Presidency Southwest Town Hall meeting in Akure, Ondo State, where he unveiled four cardinal pillars of his proposed ‘Reset Nigeria’ agenda, built around education, economic productivity, security and a healthy sociopolitical environment.
Makinde said his ambition was driven by the need to redirect the country towards prosperity, national inclusion and democratic accountability, rather than allow economic hardship, insecurity, nepotism and political exclusion to persist.
He urged residents of the Southwest to support his candidacy and mobilise voters for the APM ahead of the 2027 general election, calling on supporters to obtain their Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) and take the party’s message to households across the region.
Defending his decision to challenge Tinubu, Makinde said presidential elections should be determined by competence, vision and the collective interest of Nigerians, rather than regional considerations or the assumption that political power belongs to a particular individual.
“In 1999, when the entire Nigeria agreed to zone the presidency to the Southwest, we had two of our fathers, Baba President Olusegun Obasanjo and Baba Olu Falae, who contested the presidency. Both were from the Southwest, and heaven did not fall,” he said.
“As a matter of fact, what the Southwest did was to present two of its finest, two of its best, for Nigeria to choose from. Is there anything wrong with doing that this time around?”
Obasanjo, the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), defeated Falae, who was jointly backed by the Alliance for Democracy (AD) and the All People’s Party (APP), in the 1999 election that ushered Nigeria into the Fourth Republic.
Makinde said the outcome demonstrated that presidential elections were ultimately national contests in which voters across the country should be free to determine their preferred candidate.
He recalled that the Southwest largely supported Falae in the election, while Obasanjo secured the wider national support that propelled him to victory.
“How do you have a Nigeria where somebody says, ‘Emilokan’? Okay, you were given the opportunity. If you take your mind back to 1999, the Southwest voted massively for Baba Olu Falae, but the rest of Nigeria voted for Baba President Olusegun Obasanjo,” he said.
He added that the question of who should lead Nigeria could not be resolved by the Southwest alone saying:
“This is not an issue that only the Southwest can solve. It is an issue we must solve collectively as Nigerians,” he said.
The governor also challenged the emphasis placed on age in discussions about the presidential race, arguing that candidates should be assessed on their physical fitness, energy and capacity to withstand the demands of governing Nigeria.
“Why are we making age an issue in this campaign? I will make energy an issue. Having the energy to stay up late, withstand the rigours, and deal with the challenges facing us as a country,” he said.
He challenged rival candidates to demonstrate their physical fitness and readiness for the responsibilities of the presidency.
“So, please, when they bring their own presidential candidates, let the candidates come here and jump down as well, saying: If they can do that, vote for them!” he said, while jumping down from the stage.
Explaining his proposed policy direction, Makinde identified education, economic productivity, security and the sociopolitical environment as the four pillars upon which his administration would be built if elected president.
He said the agenda was designed to move Nigeria away from excessive dependence on natural resources and revenue allocations towards an economy driven by knowledge, skills, investment, enterprise and job creation.
According to him, sustainable prosperity would require a combination of human capital development, effective security, infrastructure, productive economic activities and institutions that allow democratic competition to thrive.
Other APM leaders at the meeting criticised the economic policies of the ruling party, which they blamed for the hardship experienced by Nigerians across different sectors.
The party’s Southwest Coordinator, Chief Eddy Olafeso; National Chairman, Yusuf Dantalle; and National Leader, Senator Bala Mohammed, expressed confidence in the party’s capacity to offer an alternative to the current administration.
They said the presidential ticket of Makinde and Daura offered Nigerians an opportunity to address the country’s economic and security challenges and restore confidence in governance.
The leaders urged voters to consider the party’s proposals ahead of the 2027 election, arguing that a change in leadership and policy direction could help address the country’s difficulties.
Their remarks reinforced the campaign’s emphasis on economic productivity, national inclusion, security and democratic accountability.
Daura warns against infiltration of APM
Speaking at the event, the APM vice-presidential candidate, Daura, expressed confidence in the party’s readiness to contest the 2027 presidential election and tackle the country’s challenges.
He, however, warned against attempts by political actors to infiltrate the party and create divisions within its ranks.
Daura said the party remained united and committed to its political objectives, urging members and supporters to remain focused and resist actions capable of undermining its cohesion.
He maintained that the APM leadership would not allow external interference to derail its preparations for the election.
Former Osun State Governor, Prince Olagunsoye Oyinlola; APM Deputy Director-General (Administration), Hajia Maryam Inna Ciroma; and retired civil servant, Dr Layi Ogunbambi, also called on Nigerian youths to support the party’s campaign for political change.
They urged young Nigerians to support candidates they considered energetic, visionary and capable of confronting the country’s economic, security and governance challenges.
The speakers also expressed concern about the state of democracy, alleging that the ruling government was weakening opposition parties and undermining the conditions necessary for a vibrant multiparty system.
They called on Nigerians to defend democratic institutions and ensure that all political parties retained the freedom to participate fully in the electoral process.