The Allied Peoples Movement (APM) has thrown its weight behind Oyo State Governor, Engr. Seyi Makinde, as its preferred candidate for a possible opposition consensus ticket ahead of the 2027 presidential election.
The party said Makinde possesses the political experience, governance credentials and broad appeal required to lead a formidable opposition coalition capable of challenging President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and the All Progressives Congress (APC) at the polls.
The position was disclosed by the APM National Publicity Secretary, Abubakar Yusuf, in Abuja on Monday while addressing journalists on ongoing efforts by opposition parties and political groups to produce a consensus presidential candidate for the 2027 election.
Yusufโs comments came ahead of an expected meeting of the G-100, a political pressure group advocating the emergence of a single opposition presidential candidate to challenge the incumbent.
The APM spokesman said consultations among opposition parties were progressing, urging presidential aspirants and other stakeholders to place the broader interest of the opposition above individual ambitions.
โI can confirm to you that discussions and consultations among opposition parties are going on well and reaching an advanced stage on the issue of a single presidential candidate.
โWithout prejudice to the outcome of the consultations, Governor Makinde comes clearer as the best opposition consensus presidential candidate,โ Yusuf said.
According to him, the objective of the ongoing consultations should be to build a united and formidable political platform capable of mounting a credible challenge to the ruling APC.
Yusuf acknowledged that producing a consensus candidate would be a sensitive process because of the competing interests among opposition politicians, but maintained that the desire for political change should take precedence over individual ambitions.
โIt is a delicate issue that touches on interests. But most importantly, we, especially in the APM, are listening to Nigerians. What Nigerians want is for opposition parties to come together, form a strong front and defeat President Tinubu in the 2027 elections,โ he said.
The APM spokesman also cited the argument within some political circles that the South should produce Tinubuโs successor in 2027, allowing the region to complete another four-year tenure before power potentially returns to the North.
He, however, stressed that the partyโs preference for Makinde was not based solely on regional considerations, but also on what he described as the governorโs record in Oyo State and his appeal across different segments of the electorate.
Yusuf said Makindeโs administration, coupled with what he described as the governorโs popularity among youths, professionals and other Nigerians, placed him in a strong position to lead an opposition coalition.
โGo across the country and ask questions. You will notice that Nigerians want a new beginning. They want a leader with new and practical ideas, not theories and finger-pointing; a leader with answers and solutions, and Governor Makinde fits into the frame,โ he said.
He further credited the Oyo State governor with having what he described as practical plans for tackling Nigeriaโs security, economic and infrastructure challenges.
โHe is the only candidate with the blueprint to secure the nation, revamp the economy, create new jobs and revitalise our comatose infrastructure. This is a fact that you can verify,โ Yusuf added.
The APM spokesman also maintained that the party recognised the importance of the argument for regional balance in the 2027 succession debate.
โAlso, donโt overlook the fact that Makinde is from the South, that is having regard to the sentiment that the South should be allowed to replace President Tinubu to complete the remaining four-year tenure after which power will go to the North,โ he said.
On reports that the camps of former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) and former Anambra State Governor Peter Obi of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) may be reluctant to relinquish their presidential ambitions in favour of a consensus candidate, Yusuf said he could not speak for either politician.
He nevertheless appealed to all opposition stakeholders to subordinate personal ambitions to the larger objective of producing a candidate capable of mounting a serious challenge to the APC in 2027.
โI cannot speak for them. What is important now is for all stakeholders to set aside their personal interests and support Governor Makinde, who we insist is best positioned to defeat President Tinubu at the election,โ he said.
The push for a consensus opposition candidate has emerged as one of the major political issues ahead of the 2027 presidential election, with opposition parties, political pressure groups and individual stakeholders exploring possible alliances aimed at presenting a united challenge to the APC.
The APM said it would continue to participate in the ongoing consultations while advocating for what it described as a candidate capable of uniting the opposition and securing victory at the polls.
