The presidential candidate of the Allied People’s Movement, Seyi Makinde, has said the party will work with other opposition political parties to provide Nigerians with a credible alternative in the 2027 general elections.
Makinde, who is also the governor of Oyo State, stated this on Thursday at the APM national convention held at the Dr. Rilwanu Sulaimanu Adamu Square, Government House, Bauchi.
He said a strong opposition was essential for the sustenance of democracy, urging the party’s new leadership to collaborate with other opposition parties to provide Nigerians with a credible alternative in 2027.
“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.
The governor said the 2027 election should focus on measurable outcomes rather than political slogans, campaign promises, and government announcements.
He said, “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.
“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 many 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.”
Makinde said Nigerians should assess governments based on productivity, access to markets, improved family welfare, and security rather than the number of government programs or security meetings.
According to him, “Security is not the number of security meetings in Government House. It is whether people come home and sleep with their two eyes closed.”
The APM candidate said the 2027 election should therefore be a contest of ideas and evidence, with candidates explaining how their policies would improve the lives of Nigerians.
He said, “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?”
Makinde said the country needed an economy capable of lifting millions of Nigerians out of poverty, productive jobs for young people, quality education, and effective security.
He also advocated a stronger federal structure, saying more decisions and resources should be brought closer to the people while ensuring greater accountability.
“We need a federation in which more decisions and resources are brought closer to the people, accompanied by greater accountability for results,” he said.
The governor further called for a political system that would restore trust between leaders and citizens, stressing that political disagreement should not turn opponents into enemies.
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 alternative and demonstrating a better alternative.”
Makinde said the ultimate objective ahead of 2027 should be to give Nigerians a genuine choice about the future of the country.
