Oyo State Governor and presidential candidate of the Allied Peoples Movement, Seyi Makinde, has said the APM can reset Nigeria within four years if elected in the 2027 presidential election, with plans focused on security, education, the economy and the country’s political system.
Makinde made the statement on Monday at the APM North-Central Town Hall Meeting in Lafia, Nasarawa State, as part of the party’s engagements ahead of the 2027 general election.
He said his proposed administration would seek to create a new security structure, improve the education system and manage the economy through greater use of data, science and evidence-based planning.
According to Makinde, the proposed changes would also cover Nigeria’s socio-political system. He said he believed the country could achieve the planned reforms within a four-year period.
The APM candidate said his administration, if elected, would begin on May 29, 2027, with a transitional government of national unity. He said the arrangement would be aimed at creating new political structures and laying the foundation for what he described as sustainable national development.
Makinde also questioned the Federal Government’s handling of insecurity, particularly in the North-Central region.
He raised concerns about the planning and funding of additional Army divisions announced by the Federal Government. The governor said he had examined the 2026 budget but did not find what he considered adequate provision for the establishment of the new divisions.
He called for greater clarity on the budgetary arrangements for the divisions, arguing that efforts to tackle insecurity should be backed by proper planning and funding.
The governor also examined the impact of increased allocations to state governments from the Federation Account. He questioned whether the additional funds had translated into better living conditions and reduced hardship for Nigerians.
Makinde used Oyo State’s finances to explain his position. He said that when he became governor in 2019, the state depended on federal allocation for more than 80 per cent of its revenue.
According to him, his administration reduced that dependence to about 65 per cent by 2022. He said the figure later moved back towards 80 per cent following changes in the economy after the removal of the fuel subsidy.
He argued that the rise in allocations to states should be assessed alongside its effect on issues such as hunger and the living conditions of citizens.
The Lafia meeting forms part of the APM’s zonal town hall engagements ahead of the 2027 election. The party’s campaign team had earlier announced plans to take its “Reset Nigeria” message to the six geopolitical zones through consultations with citizens and stakeholders.
Makinde has continued to present the proposed reset agenda as the central message of his presidential campaign, with security, education, economic management and political reforms among the areas he says his administration would address if elected.