The Allied Peoples Movement (APM) on Monday inaugurated its presidential campaign headquarters in Abuja, declaring that its 2027 campaign would focus on resetting Nigeria through the presidential ticket of Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde and Lawal Daura.
APM National Chairman, Yusuf Dantalle, described the inauguration as the beginning of what he called a collective effort to redirect the country, saying the new headquarters would coordinate the party’s activities ahead of the 2027 general elections.
“With this epoch-making event, the much-awaited journey to reset Nigeria has commenced,” Dantalle said.
He said the Makinde-Daura ticket combined political and administrative experience with security expertise, arguing that the duo could address Nigeria’s economic and security challenges.
Dantalle particularly pointed to Daura’s previous leadership of a key security agency, saying his experience would strengthen the party’s approach to tackling insecurity.
He also cited Makinde’s record as Oyo governor as evidence of his ability to drive economic development and improve security.
The party chairman said the APM campaign would be issue-based and centred on competence, national unity and practical solutions rather than divisive politics.
The inauguration was also used to highlight what the party described as recent electoral gains, including its reported victory in all local government elections in Bauchi State.
Makinde, in his address, focused on Nigeria’s petroleum pricing regime, arguing that crude allocated for domestic refining should be priced according to local production costs rather than what he described as arbitrary international benchmarks.
He called for greater transparency across the petroleum value chain, from crude production to the sale of refined products, saying Nigerians should be able to understand how prices are determined.
Responding to questions about the strength of his political structure, Makinde recalled his first victory in the Oyo governorship election and warned against dismissing the concerns of ordinary Nigerians.
“What they (skeptics) are really saying is that the hopes of millions of Nigerians do not count,” he said.
The governor said the campaign must extend beyond political elites to include traders, farmers, workers and young people in discussions about Nigeria’s future.
He also invited Nigerians to use the campaign headquarters as a platform for engagement, urging citizens to scrutinise political ideas and participate in efforts to promote accountable governance.
“This is our country; these are our resources; we count, and together, we will reset Nigeria,” Makinde said.
