By Ademola Ade
Oyo State Governor and presidential candidate of the Allied Peoples Movement (APM), Seyi Makinde, has urged Nigerians to use the 2027 general elections to reject hunger, insecurity and political exclusion, declaring that the country needs a fundamental political reset.
Makinde, who spoke at the flag-off of the APM’s 2027 presidential campaign in Bauchi State, challenged voters not to allow financial inducements to determine their electoral choices, insisting that Nigerians must vote according to their convictions.
In a pointed message to the electorate, he declared: “Don’t bother at all when they bring money. It’s your money. Collect it, spend it, but vote your heart.”
The governor identified hunger as the country’s biggest problem, arguing that the hardship confronting Nigerians, persistent insecurity and lack of inclusive governance demanded a change in the country’s political direction.
He challenged citizens to reflect on whether they were satisfied with the state of the economy, the security architecture and the government’s approach to national development.
“If you are not happy with the way things are in our country today, if you’re not happy that there’s not enough inclusivity, if you’re not happy that your government cannot tell you the truth, they cannot handle our issues with sincerity, then there’s only one path for us. And the path is to reset Nigeria,” Makinde declared.
The campaign flag-off was attended by Makinde’s running mate, Lawal Daura; APM National Chairman, Yusuf Dantalle; and the party’s national leader and Bauchi State Governor, Bala Mohammed.
Makinde expressed appreciation to Mohammed and the APM leadership for providing him with a platform to pursue his presidential ambition, expressing confidence in the party’s proposed Reset Agenda.
His running mate, Daura, said the party was determined to challenge what he described as dishonesty, hypocrisy and exclusion in Nigerian politics.
According to him, the country’s democracy faces serious challenges when political leaders fail to demonstrate transparency, sincerity and commitment to citizens’ welfare.
“The politics of deceit and hypocrisy are what are about to kill Nigerian democracy. The APM, through its Reset Agenda, is determined to fight these ills and ensure that anyone who finds themselves in government will have no choice but to be honest, sincere and committed to the cause of the Nigerian people,” Daura said.
He explained that the party’s proposed all-inclusive government would accommodate Nigerians irrespective of their ethnic, religious or social backgrounds.
“It is not about alienating others; it is about all of us. That is why the Reset Agenda advocates an all-inclusive government,” the vice-presidential candidate added.
Daura also maintained that the success of public office should be measured by improvements in citizens’ living conditions rather than the accumulation of personal wealth.
“We derive our happiness not from stealing public funds but from seeing the happiness expressed on your faces. When we see you happy, when we see you becoming responsible citizens and when we see this country making progress, that is where our happiness lies,” he said.
On political inclusion, Dantalle disclosed that the APM had established a directorate dedicated to women’s affairs as part of efforts to increase female participation in the political process.
He also revealed that the party had engaged the National Assembly Joint Committee on the proposed special seats for women, expressing concern that serving lawmakers had not given the initiative the attention it deserved.
Dantalle said the party expected its future lawmakers to champion greater women’s representation in the National Assembly and other political institutions.
He urged party members to scrutinise the APM’s leadership, policies and programmes, assuring them that the party remained open to criticism and difficult questions.
In his remarks, Governor Mohammed endorsed Makinde’s presidential ambition, describing him as a leader with a record in Oyo State and the capacity to accommodate Nigeria’s diversity.
Mohammed said his political realignment and departure from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) followed what he described as injustice, adding that the APM had provided a new platform for pursuing their political aspirations.
“We have found a sanctuary in the Allied Peoples Movement. It is a movement that is bringing hope, with a young presidential candidate, just like most of our candidates,” the governor said.
He, however, stressed that fairness in federal appointments and equitable distribution of national opportunities would be central to his expectations of a future APM-led administration.
Mohammed cautioned against the domination of federal appointments by any ethnic group, insisting that a Makinde presidency must respect the principle of federal character.
“There are over 100,000 positions to be filled, but they must not be occupied by one ethnic group alone or skewed in favour of one tribe,” he warned.
He called for a balance between merit and federal character in public appointments, stressing that the North-East and other regions must enjoy equitable representation in the country’s governance structure.
The Bauchi governor also appealed for greater federal support for his state, lamenting what he described as the disadvantages of being outside the mainstream of national governance.
“We are even tired of being in the opposition. We have lost a lot. I know how much I suffered as the leader of the opposition. I do not want to come into government only to be marginalised and pushed aside again,” he said.
While assuring Makinde of Bauchi’s support, Mohammed stressed that the state expected fairness, justice and equitable access to federal opportunities in return.
The campaign launch places hunger, insecurity, political inclusion, women’s representation and equitable distribution of federal appointments at the centre of the APM’s early messaging ahead of the 2027 general elections.
