The presidential candidate of the Allied Peoples Movement (APM), Governor Seyi Makinde of Oyo State, former Anambra State governor Peter Obi, Bauchi State Governor Bala Mohammed, APM vice-presidential candidate Lawal Daura and the party’s National Chairman, Dr Yusuf Mamman Dantalle, have called for a new political direction anchored on transparency, accountability, competence and improved living conditions for Nigerians.
The leaders made the call yesterday in Abuja at the commissioning of the Makinde/Daura Presidential Campaign Headquarters, which also marked the formal commencement of the APM’s campaign for the 2027 general elections under its “Reset Nigeria” agenda.
At the event, the speakers outlined their vision for Nigeria, with emphasis on good governance, national unity, economic prosperity, security, issue-based politics and responsible management of public resources.
Speaking at the commissioning, Makinde said the campaign headquarters was not merely a political office but a platform for Nigerians to participate in discussions on the future of the country.
He said the “Reset Nigeria” agenda was designed to ensure that government worked for ordinary citizens and that the nation’s resources translated into tangible improvements in their lives.
According to him, Nigerians should no longer accept a system of government in which decisions and the management of public resources remain difficult to understand.
“Government must show its workings,” Makinde said, stressing the need for citizens to know how decisions were taken, how public funds were deployed and who benefited from them.
The governor also clarified his position on petrol pricing, saying his proposal for the domestic petroleum sector should not be mistaken for a return to the old fuel subsidy regime.
He argued that crude oil produced in Nigeria and supplied to domestic refineries should be priced in a manner that recognises the country’s status as an oil-producing nation.
“If a community grows food, the people of that community should not have to buy that food as though it travelled halfway around the world before reaching them,” he said.
Makinde said Nigeria’s oil wealth must provide a “real and measurable benefit” to Nigerians, calling for greater transparency across the petroleum value chain.
He identified crude oil production and domestic allocation, refining, transportation, distribution, taxation and retail margins as areas where Nigerians should have access to clear information.
“Nigerians should know what they are paying for, who receives what and where inefficiencies are increasing the final price,” he said.
The APM candidate said the proposed political reset would also address the daily challenges confronting traders, farmers, workers, young people and small-business owners.
He urged Nigerians to actively participate in the campaign by questioning the party’s proposals and contributing ideas on how governance could be improved.
Makinde also dismissed doubts about the ability of the APM to compete with established political parties, recalling similar scepticism when he first contested the Oyo State governorship election.
He said his victory demonstrated that political assumptions could change when citizens decided to support a different direction.
In his remarks, Obi endorsed Makinde’s qualification to contest the presidency, saying the movement was driven by a desire to give Nigerians the opportunity to freely choose their leaders.
“Yes, Seyi Makinde is qualified to contest for President,” Obi declared.
The former Anambra governor said Nigeria could not continue on its current trajectory, citing hunger, poverty and insecurity as challenges requiring urgent action.
He advocated a political culture in which politicians would compete over solutions instead of engaging in endless quarrels.
“Let our quarrel be to feed our people. Let our quarrel be to pull our people out of poverty,” Obi said.
He further called for a Nigeria where citizens could succeed through merit and opportunity, regardless of their background or connections.
“We want a Nigeria where a child of nobody can be somebody without knowing anybody,” he said.
Obi pledged his support for a collective effort to rebuild the country, saying whoever emerged victorious from a free, fair and credible election should receive the support of Nigerians committed to national development.
Also speaking, Bauchi State Governor Bala Mohammed described the commissioning as evidence of the APM’s preparedness for the 2027 elections.
Mohammed praised Makinde’s record and experience in governance, expressing confidence that he could bring the same experience to the national level.
He said the APM offered Nigerians an opportunity to embrace leadership based on planning, competence, prudent resource management and accountability.
The governor also stressed the importance of creating opportunities for Nigerians irrespective of gender, age or social background.
Daura, the APM vice-presidential candidate, described the 2027 election as serious business and urged politicians to recognise the enormous responsibility attached to seeking to govern Nigeria.
He called for issue-based campaigns, urging candidates to sell their programmes and ideas to Nigerians rather than concentrate on attacking opponents.
Daura also appealed to opposition parties to embrace cooperation in the national interest, saying collaboration should not be mistaken for weakness.
“We want to provide a very qualitative opposition. And that qualitative opposition is supposed to be beneficial to all Nigerians,” he said.
The APM National Chairman, Dantalle, described the commissioning as the beginning of the party’s “journey to reset Nigeria,” declaring that “the future starts today.”
He said the turnout demonstrated what he described as Nigerians’ desire for a new direction based on competence, courage, compassion and accountability.
Dantalle described the Makinde/Daura ticket as an alternative for Nigerians seeking good governance, national security, economic prosperity and social harmony.
He said the APM campaign would remain issue-based and focused on solutions rather than political bitterness, division and hatred.
“The APM campaign across the country will be issue-based. It will be about solutions, competence and the future of our dear nation,” Dantalle said.
The leaders collectively urged Nigerians to use the 2027 election to demand better governance and move away from politics driven by personal attacks and division.
They stressed the need for a political system in which public resources are managed transparently, government remains accountable to citizens and national wealth translates into improved living standards.
The commissioning formally launched the APM’s mobilisation for the 2027 presidential election, with the party presenting its “Reset Nigeria” agenda as a platform for national renewal.
The party called on Nigerians to join the campaign and contribute to its vision of a safer, more prosperous and inclusive country.
“Reset Nigeria — Nigeria First, Nigeria Always,” the APM declared.
