Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde, on Thursday formally declared his intention to contest the 2027 presidential election under a newly formed political coalition between the Peoples Democratic Party and the Allied Peoples’ Movement. Makinde made the announcement during a mega rally held at Mapo Hall in Ibadan, which drew a large crowd of party members, supporters, and political figures from across Nigeria. The declaration positions the governor to compete against other prominent politicians, including former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, former Minister of Transport Rotimi Amaechi, and the 2023 Labour Party presidential candidate Peter Obi, in the challenge against President Bola Tinubu.
Delivering his declaration speech to the gathering, the governor expressed concerns over the trajectory of the nation's political landscape, warning that the country is moving toward a one-party system. He argued that democracy requires a functional multiparty system to survive and called on opposition forces to unite. In his speech, he stated, “Today, I, Oluseyi Abiodun Makinde, FNSE, announce my candidacy for the position of the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria under the PDP/APM alliance.”
He lamented the prevailing economic and security difficulties affecting citizens, noting that opposition forces must resist attempts to weaken alternative political voices. Makinde observed, “We have witnessed the continuous meddling in the affairs of opposition parties in our dear country with the aim of taking Nigeria to a one-party system. Without a multiparty system, there is no democracy,” He went on to emphasize that the true opposition comprises citizens dealing with everyday challenges, stating, “The opposition in Nigeria is not just the political parties. It is the everyday Nigerian for whom the country does not work,” He urged the public to overcome indifference and take a leading role in governance, adding, “This is the time for every one of us to shake off the apathy that is gradually taking root and engage with the political process to ensure that Nigeria works for us. It is time to confront our fears. It is time to be engaged citizens and not spectators in our own country,”
Before the public event at Mapo Hall, representatives of the PDP and the APM gathered at the PDP South-West Secretariat, Soji Adagunodo House, located on Old Ife Road in Ibadan, to sign a Memorandum of Understanding establishing their coalition. After completing the formal signing, Makinde explained that the partnership aims to offer an alternative political direction and will field candidates for all available elective offices across the federation. He stated, “To the opposition political parties, this is the time for unity, one party at a time. That is exactly what the PDP and the APM are demonstrating today. This is the moment to work together in unity and determination to give our generation the leadership and direction it urgently needs. Today, I proudly declare the birth of the Reset Nigeria Movement. The time to reset Nigeria is now. And so, today, here in my home state, in Ibadan, the city of warriors, the first grand alliance is formed: the alliance between the Peoples Democratic Party and the Allied Peoples’ Movement. This partnership will enable us to present candidates at every level of government, from the Presidency to the state houses of assembly and every office in between.”
Several political leaders offered messages of support during the event. Former Osun State Governor and PDP chieftain, Olagunsoye Oyinlola, stated that the alliance was necessitated by the current administration's inability to deliver on its 2023 campaign commitments. Oyinlola remarked, “What brought us to this level of alliance? About three and a half years ago, our brother, Bola Tinubu, said it was his turn to become President. He assured Nigerians that the power sector would be revitalised, the oil sector repositioned, and the country would move towards progress and prosperity. But where are we today? That was the purpose of the opposition summit in Ibadan, to chart a new course for the country and build a stronger alliance capable of addressing the challenges facing Nigerians,” Other officials present included Oyo State Deputy Governor Bayo Lawal, Speaker of the Oyo State House of Assembly Adebo Ogundoyin, APM National Chairman Dantalle, and several regional party leaders.
However, the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, sharply rejected the announced coalition, describing the development as a manufactured narrative. Inspecting road projects in the Kwali Area Council of Abuja on Thursday, Wike asserted that neither the PDP national leadership nor the Independent National Electoral Commission has any record of a formal alliance between the two political organizations. Wike stated, “When I say people are fraudulent, they think I am joking. And that is the 419 we are talking about. There is no alliance between PDP and APM or any other political party, as the case may be. INEC also knows that there is nothing called a PDP-APM alliance,” The minister further alleged that the arrangement was merely a personal vehicle for the governor's ambitions, stating, “What you have is Seyi Makinde joining APM to be able to actualise his presidential ambition, which is already dead on arrival,”
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