The Makinde-Daura Presidential Campaign Organisation (MDPCO) has challenged President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to tour the 12 battleground states identified for his 2027 re-election campaign by road, insisting that its candidate, Seyi Makinde, is ready to challenge him across the country.
The organisation, which is backing Makinde on the platform of the Allied Peoples Movement (APM), accused the Tinubu administration of worsening economic hardship and urged the President to interact directly with Nigerians to assess their living conditions.
In a statement issued on Saturday by its Director of Strategic Communications, Richard Nnanna Ihediwa, the campaign organisation listed Oyo, Kaduna, Rivers, Plateau, Borno, Enugu, Bauchi, Sokoto, Delta, Kano, Adamawa and Lagos as the 12 states it said Tinubu had identified for campaign visits.
It argued that the President should move beyond airports and rally grounds to visit communities, inspect roads and experience the challenges confronting ordinary Nigerians.
“If President Tinubu believes he is popular as he claims, he should not stop at the rally ground or at the airport when he gets to any of the states,” the organisation said.
The campaign further alleged that the Federal Government was spending substantial public funds on projects it considered wasteful while citizens continued to struggle with rising living costs and other economic difficulties.
It maintained that Tinubu’s planned visits would not change what it described as growing opposition to his re-election bid, expressing confidence that Makinde’s candidacy would gain wider acceptance ahead of the January 16, 2027 election.
The organisation also claimed that Makinde’s RESET NIGERIA agenda was attracting support in different parts of the country, including Rivers State and the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, although it did not provide independent polling evidence to substantiate the claim.
Makinde’s RESET Agenda
Contrasting the candidates’ policy proposals, the campaign described Makinde’s RESET NIGERIA agenda as an alternative to Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, which it criticised as inadequate to address Nigeria’s challenges.
According to the organisation, Makinde’s programme proposes an all-inclusive, four-year transitional government of national unity, with education, the economy, security and socio-political reforms as its four priority areas.
It said the plan would tackle poverty through increased production, improve security through intelligence gathering and coordinated kinetic and non-kinetic measures, expand access to quality education and strengthen public institutions.
The campaign added that the proposed reforms would promote inclusive governance, accountability and improved public service delivery.
It urged Nigerians to assess the competing candidates on their policy proposals and records, expressing confidence that the 2027 election would provide an opportunity for citizens to determine the country’s political direction.
Campaign Hails CAN Award for Makinde
Meanwhile, the MDPCO has welcomed the conferment of the Christian Icon Award on Makinde by the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) during the Christian body’s 50th anniversary celebration.
The campaign described the honour as recognition of what it called Makinde’s leadership record, commitment to public service and contribution to nation-building.
It said the award reflected leadership values associated with integrity, accountability, service and faith-based principles.
The organisation linked the recognition to Makinde’s record as governor of Oyo State, citing his administration’s approach to transparency, infrastructure development and people-oriented policies.
It also referenced polls conducted by the Nigeria Social Media Week Group, which it said named Makinde Nigeria’s most beloved and admired governor in 2023 and 2024.
The campaign argued that the award and the governor’s record in Oyo State strengthened its case for his presidential ambition, describing the RESET NIGERIA agenda as a proposed pathway to improved governance.
Questions Tinubu’s Campaign Structure
The MDPCO also called on Tinubu to reconsider the composition and cost of his campaign organisation, alleging that the President was relying on politicians without sufficient grassroots support.
It urged supporters of the APM candidate to intensify mobilisation ahead of the election, insisting that Makinde was prepared to challenge the incumbent nationwide.
The organisation maintained that the forthcoming poll would offer Nigerians an opportunity to demand accountable leadership and decide the country’s future direction.
