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The presidential candidate of the Allied Peoples Movement, APM, and Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde, has said the 2027 presidential election will be a contest between the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC, and Nigerians, rather than between political parties.
Mr Makinde stated this on Tuesday at the APM North-West Town Hall Meeting in Katsina, where he unveiled his “Reset Nigeria” agenda ahead of the 2027 election.
He said the election would not be about the APM or any other opposition party but about the Nigerian people.
“It would not be APC versus APM, or APM versus APC, or APC versus ADC—it will be APC versus Nigerians,” he said.
Mr Makinde urged Nigerians to obtain their Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) and participate actively in the electoral process.
He said the “Reset Nigeria” agenda would focus on the economy, education, insecurity and institutional reforms, with the aim of building a country that works for citizens regardless of their ethnic, religious or regional backgrounds.
The governor also rejected a claim by the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, that President Bola Tinubu gave him N50 billion for the upgrade of the Ibadan Airport.
Mr Makinde described the claim as false, insisting that the airport project was being funded entirely by the Oyo State Government.
“My attention was called to an interview granted by the FCT Minister, Mr Nyesom Wike, where he said that the President gave N50 billion to Oyo State or to me to upgrade the airport in Ibadan to international standards.
“I want to say that claim is false. The President didn’t give N50 billion to me or to Oyo State to upgrade the Ibadan Airport. The project is being undertaken 100 per cent with the money of Oyo State,” he said.
Mr Makinde also expressed concern over the security situation in the country, citing the recent killings in Niger State.
He called for reforms to the country’s security architecture, saying his administration would pursue alternative approaches to tackling insecurity if elected.
The APM candidate further criticised the handling of presidential power transfer during extended foreign trips, citing Section 145 of the Nigerian Constitution.
He pledged that, if elected president, he would transmit power to the vice president whenever he was unavailable to discharge the functions of office.
“I will follow the Constitution to the letter. Whenever I am unavailable or on vacation, I will transmit power to the Vice President. Record this and hold me accountable,” he said.
Mr Makinde said he had consistently transmitted power to his deputy whenever he travelled abroad for extended periods as governor of Oyo State.
The Katsina meeting formed part of the APM’s nationwide town hall engagements ahead of the 2027 presidential election. The party said the meetings were designed to engage citizens and stakeholders across the six geopolitical zones on issues affecting the country.
