Makinde Declares Presidential Bid, Targets Tinubu in Southwest for 2027 Election

• Calls for national unity against one‑party rule at PDP/APM rally  

• Says claims that opposition can’t unite is a miscalculation

• Declares opposition is the everyday Nigerian for whom the nation does not work

In a move that could reshape the 2027 general election, Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde announced yesterday that he will run for President of Nigeria under a new alliance between the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the Allied Peoples’ Movement (APM).

Makinde made the declaration before a large gathering of party supporters, enthusiasts and political stakeholders at the historic Mapo Hall in Ibadan.

With this announcement, he became the first high‑profile presidential aspirant holding an active political office to challenge fellow Yoruba south‑westerner, President Bola Tinubu, in the upcoming contest.

Organisers described the event as a “Unity Mega Rally.” The city of Ibadan turned into a political carnival as PDP and APM supporters filled the venue, chanting solidarity songs and waving party flags, making it one of the biggest opposition gatherings in recent months.

During his speech, Makinde warned that Nigeria was drifting toward a one‑party state and that democracy itself was at risk if opposition forces failed to unite against systematic attempts to weaken alternative political voices.

He said the country had reached a critical political crossroads and that it was time for Nigerians and opposition parties to work together to rescue democracy and reset the nation.

“We have witnessed the continuous meddling in the affairs of opposition parties in our dear country with the aim of taking Nigeria to a one‑party system,” he said. “Without a multiparty system there is no democracy,” Makinde added.

The governor lamented the worsening economic and security situation, noting that many Nigerians have been pushed into survival mode while those in power treat public authority as personal property.

According to him, the opposition movement extends beyond political parties to include ordinary Nigerians frustrated by hardship and governance failures.

Makinde said about Tinubu and the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC): “They calculated and said opposition cannot unite. But I am here today to say it is a miscalculation. The opposition in Nigeria is not just the political parties; it is the everyday Nigerian for whom the country does not work.”

Calling for mass civic participation, he urged Nigerians to resist political apathy and become actively engaged in shaping the country’s future.

“This is the time for every one of us to shake off the apathy that is gradually taking root and engage with the political process to ensure that Nigeria works for us,” he said. “It is time to confront our fears. It is time to be engaged citizens and not spectators in our own country.”

Makinde said the newly announced PDP/APM alliance marks the beginning of a broader opposition coalition that will offer Nigerians an alternative political direction ahead of the 2027 general election.

Describing Ibadan as “the city of warriors,” he added that the alliance would field candidates for elective offices from top to bottom across the country.

He declared before the cheering crowd, “Therefore, today, I Oluseyi Abiodun Makinde, FNSE, announce my candidacy for the position of the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria under the PDP/APM alliance.”

Earlier, leaders of PDP and APM signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) as part of the ongoing coalition and realignment efforts between the two parties ahead of the 2027 general election.

The signing took place at the PDP South‑west Secretariat, Soji Adagunodo House, Old Ife Road, Ibadan.

At the MoU signing, a member of the PDP Board of Trustees, Dr. Eddy Olafeso, thanked Makinde for bringing new energy and unity among political leaders. He praised Makinde’s strategic capacity and resource management as Oyo State governor.

After the ceremony, the governor led PDP and APM leaders, top government officials and political functionaries to Mapo Hall for the mega rally.

During the rally, PDP Chairman in Oyo State, Hon. Dayo Ogungbenro, said the unity rally was the climax of the alliance between PDP and APM following the MoU signing. He described the development as the beginning of good things for Oyo State and Nigeria, assuring that the alliance would produce presidents, governors, and national and state assembly members in the 2027 elections.

In separate goodwill messages, former Osun State governor Olagunsoye Oyinlola and PDP National Vice Chairman (South‑East), Chief Ali Odefa, stated that the alliance was a direct result of the ruling APC’s failure to keep its numerous campaign promises. They added that Nigeria cannot afford a one‑party system and that citizens are coming together to end the APC administration’s incompetence.

National Chairman of APM, Yusuf Dantalle, and National Secretary, Hon. Oyadeyi Ayodele, congratulated Makinde and the party leaders on the alliance. They stressed that APM and PDP had begun to work together to ensure Nigeria reclaimed its pride as one of the best countries in Africa.

The MoU signing and declaration rally were attended by Deputy Governor of Oyo State Bayo Lawal, former Deputy Governor Hamid Gbadamosi, Speaker of the Oyo State House of Assembly Hon. Adebo Ogundoyin, former Speaker Senator Monsurat Sunmonu, and other serving House of Representatives members from Oyo State, as well as governorship, senatorial and House of Assembly aspirants.

Other attendees included APM National Vice Chairman (South‑West) Hon. Peter Olabanji, APM National Women Leader Hajia Hafsat Usman, APM Chairman of Oyo State Hon. Adegbenro Fagbemi, PDP Chairman of Ekiti State Hon. Tunji Odeyemi, PDP Caretaker Chairman of Osun State Hon. Babatunde Tijani, and PDP Chairman of Lagos State Dr. Amos Fawole.

Top government functionaries such as Chief of Staff to the Governor Otunba (Dr.) Segun Ogunwuyi, Chairman of the Ibadan Airport Upgrade Committee Hon. Bimbo Adekanmbi, Deputy Chief of Staff Hon. Kazeem Adeniyi, Chairman of the Oyo State Elders’ Council Dr. Saka Balogun, commissioners, special advisers, executive assistants, special assistants, and other PDP stakeholders were also present.