2027: Makinde Challenges Tinubu’s Region, Says Presidency Not by Entitlement

…As APM candidate argues that the Southwest must remain open to presidential competition despite the region holding power

Governor Seyi Makinde of Oyo State and presidential candidate of the Allied Peoples’ Movement (APM) has challenged the Southwest to spearhead Nigeria’s political and economic rebirth, declaring that leadership should be determined by competence, energy and readiness to serve rather than entitlement or ethnic considerations.

Makinde made the call at the APM Southwest Town Hall held at the Ondo State International Conference Centre, popularly known as The Dome, in Akure, where he urged Nigerians to reject what he described as “turn-by-turn politics” and nepotism in the struggle for national leadership.

The governor argued that the Southwest should not be denied the opportunity to produce presidential candidates simply because the region currently occupies the presidency.

Citing the 1999 presidential election, he recalled that Chief Olusegun Obasanjo and Chief Olu Falae contested the same election without controversy, insisting that democracy should allow qualified candidates to seek the nation’s highest office.

Unveiling the four pillars of his Reset Nigeria agenda—Education, Economy, Security and Socio-Political Empowerment—Makinde said Nigeria could not achieve sustainable prosperity without investing in knowledge and skills, creating a secure environment, strengthening economic productivity and protecting political pluralism.

He also criticised the Federal Government’s budgeting process, contrasting it with Oyo State’s January-to-December budget cycle and what he described as more than 70 per cent budget performance over the past seven years.

He called for a productive economy in which states receive their lawful allocations without delay and taxation promotes prosperity rather than deepening poverty.

Makinde urged supporters to become “Reset Agents,” obtain their Permanent Voter Cards and take the campaign message to households across the country, insisting that the Southwest must once again lead the struggle for national transformation. “Together, we will reset Nigeria,” he declared.

The APM vice-presidential candidate, Alhaji Lawal Daura, reaffirmed the party’s commitment to national renewal, while warning members against alleged attempts by political infiltrators to create divisions within its ranks.

He maintained that the party remained united and resolute in its mission.

Former Osun State Governor, Prince Olagunsoye Oyinlola; the APM Deputy Director-General (Administration), Hajia Maryam Inna Ciroma; and retired civil servant, Dr. Layi Ogunbambi, in separate goodwill messages, praised Makinde’s political courage and called on Nigerian youths to support leaders they consider capable of addressing the country’s challenges.

They also stressed the need to protect democratic institutions and preserve Nigeria’s multiparty system.

The APM National Chairman, Alhaji Yusuf Dantalle, and the party’s National Leader, Senator Bala Mohammed, criticised the ruling party’s economic policies, arguing that they had worsened hardship across the country.

They expressed confidence in the Makinde–Daura ticket and said the APM could restore economic prosperity if elected in 2027.

Earlier, the Southwest Zonal Coordinator of the Makinde–Daura Campaign Organisation, Chief Eddy Olafeso, said governance must prioritise the welfare of the people, adding that Makinde was prepared to redefine national leadership through the Reset Nigeria agenda.