The Oyo State Governor and presidential candidate of the Allied Peoples Movement (APM), Seyi Makinde, has officially flagged off the party’s 2027 presidential campaign in Bauchi State, urging Nigerians dissatisfied with the country’s current situation to support his proposed RESET agenda.
Makinde made the call on Saturday during the campaign flag-off, where he identified hunger, insecurity, poor governance and lack of inclusivity as some of the major challenges confronting the country.
Engaging the crowd with a series of questions, the presidential candidate asked whether hunger remained Nigeria’s biggest problem and whether the economy, security architecture and socio-political environment needed to be reset.
He said the answers reflected the need for a new direction, insisting that Nigeria must be rebuilt around the needs and aspirations of its citizens.
“If you are not happy with the way things are in our country today, if you are not happy that there is not enough inclusivity, if you are not happy that your government cannot tell you the truth and cannot handle our issues with sincerity, then there is only one path for us, and that path is to reset Nigeria,” Makinde said.
He urged supporters not to be distracted by inducements during the election, saying they should collect any money offered to them but vote according to their conscience.
“Don’t bother at all when they bring money; it is your money. Collect it, spend it, but vote your heart,” he told the crowd.
The presidential candidate also expressed appreciation to the APM leadership for providing him with a platform to contest, particularly the party’s national leader and Bauchi State Governor, Bala Mohammed, as well as the National Chairman.
Earlier, Governor Bala Mohammed called on party members and supporters to work collectively for the success of the APM candidates, describing the party as a platform that had provided hope following what he and Makinde described as injustice in their former political party, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
Mohammed, who endorsed Makinde’s presidential ambition, said his support was based on the Oyo State governor’s record of performance and practical experience in governance.
He described the RESET agenda as a response to Nigeria’s challenges and praised Makinde’s proposal for a government of national unity, saying it would promote inclusion and address ethnic divisions, religious intolerance and impunity.
The Bauchi governor also called for justice and equity in the distribution of government appointments and opportunities, warning against a situation where positions in government were dominated by one ethnic group.
He said appointments must reflect the principle of federal character while maintaining merit, stressing that every section of the country deserved fair representation.
Mohammed further appealed for Bauchi State and the North-East to receive fair consideration in national development, noting that his support for the APM was driven by the desire to ensure that the region was not marginalised.
In his remarks, the APM vice-presidential candidate, Lawal Daura, criticised what he described as deceit and hypocrisy in Nigerian politics, saying the party’s RESET agenda was designed to promote honesty, accountability and inclusive governance.
Daura said the proposed government would give Nigerians, irrespective of religion, ethnicity or background, a place in national development and ensure that governance was guided by an agreed plan for the country’s progress.
He added that the party was committed to serving the people and measuring its success by improvements in their lives.
The APM National Chairman also reaffirmed the party’s commitment to greater women’s participation in governance, disclosing that a dedicated directorate for women had been established within the party.
He said the party had engaged with the National Assembly Joint Committee on the proposed special seats for women, adding that increased female representation was necessary for a more inclusive political system.
The campaign flag-off marks the commencement of the APM’s nationwide mobilisation ahead of the 2027 general elections, with the party seeking support for Makinde and Daura’s presidential ticket
By Eke Janet
