The presidential candidate of the Allied Peoples Movement (APM), Engineer Seyi Makinde, has announced plans to train one million young Nigerians in employable skills as part of efforts to tackle unemployment and drive economic growth if elected president in 2027.
Makinde made the announcement at the APM South-East Town Hall Meeting in Enugu, where he outlined key priorities of his proposed RESET NIGERIA Agenda, including economic reform, security restructuring, education and socio-political reform.
He said the party had deliberately delayed releasing its manifesto to gather input from stakeholders across the country, adding that the document would be unveiled on November 4, 2026.
According to him, the manifesto would reflect the concerns raised during town hall meetings across the six geopolitical zones and provide proposed solutions to the country’s challenges.
Makinde said his administration would prioritise rebuilding public trust, arguing that sincerity and honesty in governance were essential to addressing the country’s problems.
He identified youth unemployment, poverty and limited access to business financing as major concerns, stressing the need to create an environment in which entrepreneurs and businesses could thrive.
The APM candidate disclosed that his team had partnered with Skill Reset Nigeria to train one million young Nigerians in skills intended to improve their employment prospects. He urged interested youths to register through the platform.
On the economy, Makinde argued that Nigeria needed to move beyond dependence on the distribution of federal allocations towards a productive system driven by manufacturing, entrepreneurship and sustainable job creation.
He specifically cited the difficulty businesses face in accessing long-term financing and the high cost of borrowing, saying interest rates of about 25 per cent posed significant challenges to manufacturers and entrepreneurs.
Referencing commercial and industrial centres such as Nnewi and Onitsha, he said the South-East had considerable potential to contribute to national economic growth if businesses received the necessary financial support and enabling environment.
Makinde also urged Nigerians to reject ethnic and religious divisions, maintaining that the country’s economic and security challenges affected citizens regardless of their backgrounds.
He called on voters to protect their Permanent Voter Cards and participate in the 2027 elections, alleging that political opponents were destroying campaign posters and billboards.
The APM presidential candidate further questioned the Federal Government’s continued borrowing despite reported revenue gains, calling for greater transparency about the country’s financial position.
He also criticised the administration’s approach to addressing economic hardship, insisting that prayers for Nigeria should be accompanied by honesty and practical action from political leaders.
Earlier, the APM National Chairman called for improved energy supply, describing electricity as a critical requirement for private-sector growth. He also linked insecurity, including kidnapping, banditry and insurgency, to deeper socioeconomic challenges that require comprehensive solutions.
The party chairman appealed to President Bola Tinubu to withdraw from the 2027 presidential race and support Makinde, arguing that such a move would allow the South to complete its remaining four-year presidential tenure.
In his remarks, the APM vice-presidential candidate, Lawal Daura, said Nigeria needed leadership committed to ending widespread hardship, strengthening democratic institutions and improving citizens’ welfare.
Daura described the party’s proposed 16-point agenda as a comprehensive programme for national reform, pledging that a Makinde-Daura administration would prioritise accountability, patriotism and public service.
He also called for greater youth participation in leadership and stronger political inclusion for women, including renewed attention to proposals for special legislative seats for women.
The Enugu meeting marked the party’s final town hall engagement across the six geopolitical zones ahead of the planned unveiling of its manifesto on November 4.
The APM said its RESET NIGERIA Agenda would focus on rebuilding the economy, restructuring the security architecture, reforming education and addressing challenges in the country’s socio-political system.
