Governor Seyi Makinde of Oyo State has officially declared his intention to run for president in the 2027 general elections under the banner of the Allied Peoples Movement (APM). This announcement was made on Thursday during a Unity rally in Ibadan, where Makinde also formalized an alliance between his faction of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and APM.
Governor Makinde, who has served two terms as Oyo State governor—first in 1999 and again in 2023—revealed his decision to contest the 2027 presidential election after aligning with APM. His preferred candidate, Mr. Abimbola Adekanmbi, is set to run for governor in Oyo State under the APM platform.
At the rally, Makinde expressed his determination to challenge the dominance of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) and to prevent what he described as an attempt to turn Nigeria into a one-party state. He argued that the current political system does not provide a fair playing field for opposition parties due to the ruling party’s interference.
Makinde appealed to opposition leaders to unite against the APC’s growing influence and to defend democracy in Nigeria. He called for greater political engagement from Nigerians, urging citizens to rise above being passive bystanders in the political process. “With collective participation, we can achieve a historic reset in the 2027 elections,” he said.
Prior to the rally, Makinde and the national leadership of APM, led by Chairman Alhaji Yusuf Dantalle, signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) at the PDP South-West secretariat in Ibadan. This agreement solidified their alliance for the upcoming elections. Following this, Makinde and his supporters gathered at Mapo Hall, where the governor formally declared his presidential candidacy.
As a result of the alliance, all candidates from Makinde’s PDP faction will contest the 2027 elections under the APM platform. This strategic move is seen as a significant shift in the political landscape ahead of next year’s election.
