KEY POINTS

• Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde has officially declared his intention to contest the 2027 presidential election.

• Makinde announced his bid during a joint rally involving the PDP and the Allied Peoples Movement in Ibadan.

• The governor said the new PDP-APM alliance would field candidates from state assemblies up to the presidency.

Governor Seyi Makinde of Oyo State has formally declared his intention to contest the 2027 presidential election under the platform of the Allied Peoples Movement.

The declaration was made on Thursday during a joint mega rally organised by the Peoples Democratic Party and the APM in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital.

Addressing a large crowd of party supporters, political allies and stakeholders at the rally, Governor Makinde said the time had come to “reset Nigeria” and provide an alternative direction for the country.

The governor officially announced his candidacy for the office of President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, presenting his ambition as part of a broader movement to rescue the country from what he described as poor governance and hardship.

Makinde, who was elected governor under the PDP in 2019 and re-elected in 2023, is expected to complete his second and final term in office in 2027.

The declaration comes amid ongoing political realignments among opposition parties ahead of the next general elections.

Governor Makinde explained that the alliance between the PDP and APM was designed to build a united political front capable of challenging the ruling All Progressives Congress in 2027.

According to him, the coalition would field candidates for all elective positions, ranging from state assemblies to the presidency.

The governor argued that the opposition in Nigeria extends beyond political parties and represents ordinary Nigerians dissatisfied with the current state of the country.

He also dismissed claims that opposition parties could not work together, insisting that the alliance marked the beginning of a new political movement.

PDP and APM Sign Political Agreement

Earlier at the event, Governor Makinde and the National Chairman of the APM, Yusuf Dantalle, signed a Memorandum of Understanding to formalise the alliance between both parties.

Although details of the agreement were not publicly disclosed, political observers believe the coalition could serve as a foundation for a broader opposition alliance ahead of the 2027 elections.

The development comes at a time when the PDP continues to battle internal divisions and leadership disputes at the national level.

Governor Makinde’s presidential declaration has also sparked discussions about its possible effect on ongoing efforts by opposition figures to unite behind a single presidential candidate against President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

The Oyo governor had recently hosted a summit involving major opposition parties, where participants reportedly discussed the possibility of presenting a joint candidate to challenge the APC in 2027.

However, his decision to pursue a presidential bid through the APM while still remaining a PDP governor has raised questions about the future of opposition unity and the PDP’s internal political structure.

Political analysts say the move may be part of a strategic effort by Makinde to secure an alternative platform amid ongoing tensions within the PDP leadership.

Within the PDP, Makinde has emerged as one of the prominent figures who have disagreed with sections of the party leadership over issues relating to internal democracy, zoning arrangements and power sharing.

His political camp recently suffered setbacks after losing a leadership battle within the party to a rival faction reportedly aligned with the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike.

The Supreme Court had recently nullified a PDP convention held in Ibadan and dissolved the Kabiru Turaki-led National Working Committee that emerged from the meeting.

Observers believe Makinde’s decision to align with the APM may provide him with political leverage and a fallback structure should internal disputes within the PDP affect his presidential ambition.

For the APM, the alliance is expected to boost the party’s national visibility and strengthen its political relevance ahead of the 2027 elections.