Makinde Announces Running Mate for 2027 Election

Oyo State Governor and presidential candidate of the Allied Peoples Movement (APM), Seyi Makinde, has selected former Director-General of the Department of State Services (DSS), Lawal Daura, as his running mate for the 2027 presidential election.

Makinde announced Daura’s selection on Thursday at the APM national elective convention held at Rilwanu Adamu Square, Government House, Bauchi.

Daura replaces Ibrahim Bala, who had earlier been presented as Makinde’s running mate but was reportedly chosen as a temporary placeholder.

The former DSS director-general joined the APM days before the convention after leaving the African Democratic Congress (ADC), following his unsuccessful bid for the party’s governorship ticket in Katsina State.

Makinde said Daura was selected in response to the country’s security challenges, indicating that security would be a major focus of his administration if elected.

The convention also saw Yusuf Dantalle return as the national chairman of the party.

In his address, Makinde called on opposition parties to work together ahead of the 2027 general election, saying the goal should go beyond simply defeating the ruling party.

He said the opposition needed to give Nigerians a credible alternative by presenting clear plans and demonstrating how a change of government would improve the lives of citizens.

According to him, credible opposition was necessary for a healthy democracy, urging the newly elected APM leaders to engage other opposition parties and explore areas of cooperation ahead of the election.

Makinde said the 2027 campaign should focus on results rather than political slogans and promises.

He argued that Nigerians should assess economic policies based on their impact on household purchasing power, rather than relying only on official economic figures.

The governor said employment policies should also be judged by whether young Nigerians could secure productive jobs and become economically independent.

He added that farmers should be able to measure the success of agricultural policies through improved productivity, access to markets and better earnings.

On security, Makinde said the performance of governments should be judged by whether citizens could move freely, work, farm and sleep without fear.

He said the central question for the 2027 election should be what had actually changed in the lives of Nigerians rather than what governments claimed to have achieved.

The APM presidential candidate identified poverty reduction, job creation, education, healthcare and security as key areas that should dominate the political debate ahead of the election.

Makinde also called for greater restructuring of the federation, arguing that more responsibilities, resources and decision-making powers should be moved closer to states and local communities.

He said Nigeria could not reach its full potential if decisions that could be handled at the state or local level continued to depend on the Federal Government in Abuja.

The governor further identified declining trust between citizens and political leaders as another major challenge facing the country.

He advocated a political culture where disagreements would not turn opponents into enemies and where opposition parties would focus on offering better alternatives rather than simply seeking to remove those in power.

Makinde challenged all presidential candidates to make their records and proposals available for public scrutiny, urging them to make the 2027 election a contest based on ideas, evidence and measurable plans.

At the convention, Bauchi State Governor Bala Mohammed was inaugurated as the national leader of the APM.

Mohammed expressed confidence in the Makinde-Daura ticket, describing Makinde as the right candidate to lead the country.

He said Makinde’s background as an engineer would be useful in addressing Nigeria’s development challenges and promised that the party’s administrators would support his leadership.

Mohammed also pledged that the APM would pursue an inclusive political agenda capable of accommodating Nigerians from different backgrounds.

Speaking after his re-election as national chairman, Dantalle said Nigeria possessed the resources needed to become prosperous but had suffered from poor leadership.

He called on Nigerians across ethnic, religious and regional lines to support the APM and its plan to build a stronger and more united country.

Dantalle said the party would work to expand its presence across local governments, states and communities while promoting its message of unity, development and democratic renewal.

He expressed confidence that the APM could become a strong national political force and compete successfully in the 2027 elections.