Engr. Seyi Makinde , governor of Oyo and presidential candidate of the Allied Peoples Movement (APM), has called on opposition parties to unite to provide Nigerians with a credible alternative in the 2027 elections.
Speaking on Thursday at the APM national convention held at the Dr Rilwanu Sulaimanu Adamu Square, Government House, Bauchi, Makinde said the APM national leadership must be ready to work with other political parties to form a united front in the next general election.
“As I said, the presence of a credible opposition is what sustains democracy,” Makinde said.
“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.”
The APM presidential candidate said Nigerians needed an economy capable of lifting millions out of poverty, productive jobs for young people, quality education and effective security.
“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.
“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.”
Makinde announced his presidential bid on May 14 at the joint mega-rally of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the APM in Ibadan, the capital of Oyo.
The governor, who said his ambition was informed by the need to reset Nigeria, however, noted that the task ahead was bigger than winning an election, adding that Nigerians should be given a real choice about the future of the country.
He called for issue-based campaigns ahead of 2027, where presidential candidates of the political parties can debate with evidence and how they will transform the fortunes of Nigerians if elected.
“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.
