Presidential candidate of the Allied Peoples’ Movement (APM), Seyi Makinde, has urged Nigerians to take ownership of the political process ahead of the 2027 elections, insisting that no politician can determine the outcome by simply dismissing his presidential ambition.
Makinde made the declaration in Abuja on Monday during the commissioning of the APM presidential campaign headquarters, where he formally unveiled his “Reset Nigeria” campaign.
The campaign, according to the Oyo State governor, will focus on transparency, accountability and ensuring that the country’s resources produce tangible improvements in the lives of citizens.
Addressing criticism of his presidential bid, Makinde recalled that his first attempt to become governor of Oyo State was also dismissed by some political observers.
“They may discount one candidate. But they cannot discount millions of Nigerians united behind a better future,” he said.
He called on Nigerians to move beyond viewing the 2027 contest as a battle between political parties and instead make it a wider conversation about governance.
“Ask questions. Challenge our ideas. Share your own ideas. Organise within your communities. Become a resetter,” Makinde said.
The APM candidate also used the occasion to clarify his position on petrol pricing, stressing that he was not proposing a return to the former fuel subsidy system.
Instead, he argued that Nigerians should receive a greater benefit from the country’s crude oil resources by incorporating the advantage into the price at which crude is supplied to domestic refineries.
“So why should crude oil supplied to Nigerian refineries be priced as though Nigeria does not produce crude oil?” he asked.
Makinde also demanded greater transparency across the petroleum value chain, including crude production, domestic allocation, refining, transportation, distribution, taxation and retail margins.
He said the same principle should apply to government generally, arguing that citizens deserve to know how decisions are made, how public funds are spent and who benefits from them.
Former Anambra State governor and presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), Peter Obi, who attended the event, backed Makinde’s eligibility to contest the presidency.
“Yes, Seyi Makinde is qualified to contest for President,” Obi said, adding that Nigerians should be allowed to freely choose their leaders.
Obi said political rivalry should centre on finding solutions to poverty, hunger and other challenges facing the country.
APM vice-presidential candidate Lawal Daura, meanwhile, urged voters to distinguish between candidates who are legally eligible to contest and those capable of winning an election.
APM National Leader and Bauchi State governor, Bala Mohammed, warned politicians against underestimating the party, saying, “Whoever disregards us is doing it at his own peril.”
APM National Chairman Yusuf Mamman Dantalle described the headquarters commissioning as the beginning of the party’s “Reset Nigeria” campaign, saying the movement would focus on competence, accountability and solutions rather than political bitterness.
