Oyo State Governor and presidential candidate of the Allied Peoples Movement (APM), Seyi Makinde, has pledged to reset Nigeria within four years if elected president in the 2027 general elections.
Makinde made the declaration on Monday at the APM North-Central Town Hall Meeting held in Lafia, the Nasarawa State capital, where he outlined his proposed vision for addressing some of the country’s major challenges, including insecurity, education, economic development and the broader socio-political system.
According to the governor, his proposed “reset” agenda would focus on establishing a new security architecture, reforming the education sector and building an economy driven by data, science and logic.
“The reset agenda can be concluded in four years. We had someone who was head of state in this country for 10 months, and he was able to end military rule and usher in the democracy we now enjoy in Nigeria,” Makinde said.
He added that his administration would seek to establish “a new security architecture, a new path for education, our economy utilising data, science and logic, and our socio-political environment in four years.”
Makinde further said that, if elected president, his administration would commence a transitional government of national unity from May 29, 2027, with the objective of laying the foundation for what he described as sustainable national development.
“So, as your president from 29 May 2027, we will run a transitional government of national unity that will culminate in new players and an agenda for Nigeria’s sustainable development,” he said.
Ahead of the town hall meeting, Makinde had announced his presence in Lafia in a post on X, disclosing that he had also held a closed-door meeting with APM candidates from the North-Central geopolitical zone.
“We are presently in Lafia for the APM North-Central Town Hall Meeting today.
“Last night, we held a closed-door meeting with APM candidates in the North-Central Zone. We will work together to reset Nigeria so that it works for all Nigerians,” he stated.
Makinde Questions Federal Government’s Security Planning
The Oyo governor also expressed concerns about the Federal Government’s response to insecurity, particularly in the North-Central region.
Makinde questioned the budgetary provisions for the establishment of additional army divisions, saying he could not identify specific provisions for them in the 2026 budget.
“Midway into 2026, insecurity is a big issue, especially in the North-Central zone. They set up army divisions, and I was looking at the 2026 budget. For the item relating to the setting up of those army divisions, I did not see it.
“If they have it in the budget they prepared for 2026, they should bring it up,” he said.
He argued that tackling insecurity required more than establishing additional security formations, stressing the importance of proper planning, adequate funding and effective implementation.
Makinde Questions Impact of Increased Federal Allocations
Makinde also questioned whether the increase in allocations to state governments from the federation account had translated into improved living conditions for Nigerians.
“Yes, they claim the state government has more money from the federation account. I’m not arguing that we have more money, but has it translated to fighting hunger in our society? The answer is no,” he said.
Speaking on Oyo State’s finances, the governor said his administration had made efforts to reduce the state’s dependence on federal allocations after assuming office in 2019, although he acknowledged that the level of dependence had subsequently risen.
“When I came in as Oyo State governor in 2019, the state’s dependence on federal allocation was 80-plus per cent; we worked really hard to bring it down to about 65 per cent in 2022, then came the statement ‘subsidy is gone’. The result is that today, Oyo State is back to almost 80 per cent dependent on federal allocation,” Makinde said.
“That is their voodoo economics,” he added.
The APM presidential candidate said his proposed national reset would therefore seek to address the structural challenges affecting Nigeria’s security, economy, education and governance, with the ultimate goal of putting the country on what he described as a sustainable development path.
