The presidential candidate of the Allied Peoples’ Movement (APM), Engr. Seyi Makinde, has urged the Southwest to lead Nigeria’s national rebirth, calling on the region to reject political entitlement, nepotism and “turn-by-turn” politics.
Makinde, who is also the Governor of Oyo State, made the call on Thursday at the APM Southwest Town Hall held at the Ondo State International Conference Centre, popularly known as The Dome, in Akure, where he presented his Reset Nigeria agenda as a pathway to national renewal.
He described the Southwest as a historic vanguard of Nigeria’s progress, arguing that the region must once again take the lead in shaping the country’s political and economic future.
The governor dismissed suggestions that the Southwest should not produce another presidential candidate because the region currently holds the presidency. He cited the 1999 presidential election, when former President Olusegun Obasanjo and Olu Falae contested for the nation’s highest office without controversy.
According to Makinde, leadership should be determined by competence, energy and readiness to serve rather than claims of entitlement to political office.
He outlined four pillars of his Reset Nigeria agenda: education, the economy, security and socio-political empowerment.
Makinde said Nigeria’s prosperity depended on a skilled and knowledgeable population, a secure environment and a political system that allowed opposition parties to operate effectively.
On the economy, he criticised what he described as a lack of clarity in the Federal Government’s budgeting process, contrasting it with Oyo State’s January-to-December budget cycle and reported budget performance of more than 70 per cent over the past seven years.
He called for a productive economy in which states received their statutory allocations without delay and taxation policies promoted prosperity rather than deepened poverty.
The governor also urged supporters to become “Reset Agents”, obtain their Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) and take the party’s message to households across the country.
Insisting that the Southwest must reclaim its position at the forefront of national transformation, he declared, “Together, we will reset Nigeria.”
In goodwill messages, former Osun State Governor, Prince Olagunsoye Oyinlola; APM Deputy Director-General (Administration), Hajia Maryam Inna Ciroma; and retired civil servant, Dr Layi Ogunbambi, commended Makinde’s courage and urged Nigerian youths to support leaders they described as visionary and energetic.
They also called for the protection of democratic institutions and Nigeria’s multiparty system.
The APM National Chairman, Alhaji Yusuf Dantalle, and National Leader, Senator Bala Mohammed, criticised the ruling party’s economic policies, arguing that they had worsened hardship across the country.
They expressed confidence in the Makinde-Daura ticket, saying the APM could restore economic prosperity and reset the country if elected in 2027.
Earlier, the Southwest Zonal Coordinator of the Makinde-Daura Campaign Organisation, Chief Eddy Olafeso, said responsible governance must put the people first, adding that Makinde was prepared to redefine leadership and reset Nigeria.
Other dignitaries at the event included Oyo State Deputy Governor, Barrister Bayo Lawal; former Deputy Governor, Engineer Hamid Gbadamosi; Speaker of the Oyo State House of Assembly, Adebo Ogundoyin; former Speaker and Senator, Monsurat Sunmonu; and other stakeholders from across the Southwest.
