The Allied Peoples Movement’s (APM) presidential candidate, Seyi Makinde, has stated that ordinary Nigerians will ultimately decide the outcome of the 2027 presidential election, not the number of billionaires supporting a candidate or the amount of their campaign war fund.
As part of his campaign centered around a “Reset Nigeria” platform, the governor of Oyo State made the statements on Monday during the APM North-Central Zonal Town Hall Meeting in Lafia, Nasarawa State.Pundits and pollsters will not decide this election, the 2027 election,” Makinde declared. “This election will not be decided by the quantity of billionaires..
Makinde also criticized the Federal Government’s economic policies, calling them “voodoo economics.” He maintained that while states have received more funding from the Federation Account, Nigerians’ hunger has not decreased as a result.
He used Oyo State’s financial situation as an example, pointing out that the state’s reliance on federal funding had decreased from more than 80% when he assumed office in 2019 to 65% by 2022 before returning to over 80% after the fuel subsidy was eliminated.
On the issue of insecurity, Makinde questioned the planning and financial backing behind the Federal Government’s plan to establish additional army divisions, saying he had reviewed the 2026 budget and found no clear provisions for the initiative. He argued that tackling insecurity effectively requires proper planning and budgetary support, not decisions made without adequate groundwork.
“Reset Nigeria” agenda and a four-year timeline
Makinde said his proposed “Reset Nigeria” agenda could realistically be delivered within four years, with a focus on security, education, the economy, and the country’s broader socio-political environment. He described his vision as one that would overhaul Nigeria’s security architecture, chart a new course for education, apply data and science to economic management, and reform the socio-political landscape.
“Reset and give Nigeria a new security architecture, reset and give Nigeria a new path for education, reset our economy utilizing data, science, and logic, and reset our socio-political environment in four years. That is our agenda,” he said.
He further stated that, if elected, his administration would launch a transitional government of national unity starting May 29, 2027 — one he said would ultimately usher in “new players and a new agenda for Nigeria’s sustainable development.”
The Lafia town hall was part of a series of zonal engagements the APM has been holding across the country ahead of the 2027 presidential election.