SEYI MAKINDE DEFENDS 2027 PRESIDENTIAL AMBITION, SAYS SOUTH-WEST CAN PRESENT MULTIPLE CANDIDATES WITHOUT UNDERMINING REGION'S INTERESTS

Oyo State Governor and APM presidential candidate points to 1999 precedent of Obasanjo and Falae, promising alternative leadership focused on tax reform and economic expansion

Oyo State Governor and presidential candidate of the Allied Peoples Movement (APM), Engr. Seyi Makinde, has defended his decision to contest the 2027 presidential election against incumbent President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, asserting that the South-West geopolitical zone can field more than one candidate without compromising its political leverage.

Speaking during an APM South-West town hall meeting in Akure, Ondo State, Makinde addressed questions over his ambition in light of a sitting South-West president. He recalled the 1999 presidential election, where former President Olusegun Obasanjo and Chief Olu Falae, both South-West leaders, contested for the nation’s top office.

“I've listened to people who ask, 'Seyi Makinde, why are you contesting when the South-West already has somebody in that seat?' In 1999, the South-West presented two of its finest, Obasanjo and Falae, and heaven did not fall. It is about offering Nigerians the best choices to decide from.”

Makinde stated that his presidential bid is driven by a desire to provide viable alternative leadership focused on solving severe economic pressures, power instability, and security challenges affecting 

Nigerian households. Outlining his platform, he advocated for a "Reset Agenda" centered on economic expansion, structural security reforms, and fair taxation practices.

"When people are productive, they become prosperous. When they are prosperous, tax prosperity, don't tax poverty. The responsibility of government is to serve the people and create an environment where the economy does not shut down at night."

Joined at the event by APM National Chairman Yusuf Dantale and Bauchi State Governor Bala Mohammed, Makinde reaffirmed his commitment to an inclusive, single four-year term governance model designed to restore public trust and deliver tangible economic recovery.