2027: Makinde Reveals APM’s Plan To Join Opposition Forces Against Tinubu

The presidential candidate of the Allied People’s Movement (APM), Seyi Makinde, has said the party is willing to collaborate with other opposition political parties to present Nigerians with a credible alternative in the 2027 general elections.

Makinde, who is also the Governor of Oyo State, made the remarks on Thursday at the APM national convention held at the Dr Rilwanu Sulaimanu Adamu Square, Government House, Bauchi.

The governor stressed that a strong opposition was essential to the survival of democracy and urged the newly elected leaders of the party to engage with other opposition groups ahead of the 2027 elections.

“As I said, the presence of a credible opposition is what sustains democracy. So, our new leaders must be ready to work with other opposition parties to ensure that we give Nigeria an incredible alternative in the 2027 general election,” Makinde said.

He argued that the next general election should focus more on measurable improvements in the lives of Nigerians than on political slogans, campaign promises and government announcements.

“For too long, we have measured governors by announcements. We are presented with policy after policy, rather than evidence of where those policies have made people’s lives better,” he said.

According to Makinde, Nigerians experience the impact of economic policies through their purchasing power, adding that government performance should ultimately be judged by its effect on everyday life.

“When our mothers go to the market, they experience economic policy as a statistic. They experience it in what their money can buy: how much rice, how much beans, and how much they can take home.

“We experience job creation policy through a press statement. The experience is whether you can find productive work,” he added.

Makinde Demands Evidence of Performance

The governor urged Nigerians to assess governments based on productivity, access to markets, improved family welfare and security rather than the number of programmes announced or security meetings held.

“Security is not the number of security meetings in Government House. It is whether people come home and sleep with their two eyes closed,” he said.

Makinde said the 2027 election should be driven by ideas and evidence, with presidential candidates clearly explaining how their proposed policies would deliver tangible improvements to Nigerians.

“The 2027 election should not simply be about what government has done. It should be about what has changed for Nigerians.

“Those of us who offer ourselves as alternatives must answer the question: What exactly will we do differently, and what measurable difference should Nigeria expect to see?” he said.

The APM presidential candidate identified poverty reduction, productive employment for young people, quality education and improved security as some of the areas requiring urgent attention.

He also advocated a stronger federal structure that would bring more decisions and resources closer to the people while strengthening accountability at all levels of government.

“We need a federation in which more decisions and resources are brought closer to the people, accompanied by greater accountability for results,” Makinde said.

‘Political Differences Should Not Make Us Enemies’

Makinde further called for a political system capable of restoring trust between citizens and their leaders.

He argued that political disagreements should not transform opponents into enemies, stressing that opposition politics should be about presenting a credible and better alternative rather than simply seeking to remove those in power.

“We want a politics where disagreement does not make us enemies; a politics where opposition is not merely about removing those in power, but about presenting a credible and demonstrating a better alternative,” he said.

The governor said the broader objective ahead of the 2027 elections should be to give Nigerians a genuine choice about the future of the country.

“The task before all of us is bigger than winning an election. It is to give Nigerians a real choice about the future of their country.

“Let the coming campaign be a contest of ideas. Let us debate the evidence. Let us compare records. Let everyone seeking to lead Nigerians answer one simple question: How will the lives of Nigerians be better because we were allowed to lead?” he said.