Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde, has officially declared his intention to contest for the presidency in the 2027 general election under a new alliance between the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the Allied Peoples’ Movement (APM).
Makinde made the declaration on Thursday during a massive rally held at Mapo Hall in Ibadan, where thousands of supporters and political stakeholders gathered for what organisers described as a “Unity Mega Rally.”
Speaking before the crowd, the governor announced, “Today, I, Oluseyi Abiodun Makinde, formally declare my candidacy for the office of the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria under the PDP/APM alliance.”
With the declaration, Makinde joins other prominent politicians already linked with the 2027 presidential race, including Atiku Abubakar, Peter Obi, Rotimi Amaechi, and Adewole Adebayo.
Makinde warned that Nigeria was gradually drifting toward a one-party state, insisting that democracy would suffer if opposition parties failed to unite against attempts to weaken alternative political voices.
“We have witnessed continuous interference in opposition parties with the aim of pushing Nigeria into a one-party system. Without a multiparty system, there is no democracy,” he said.
The governor also criticised the current state of the economy and security situation, saying many Nigerians were struggling to survive while political leaders treated public office like personal property.
According to him, the opposition movement goes beyond political parties and includes ordinary Nigerians frustrated by hardship and poor governance.
“The opposition in Nigeria is not just political parties. It is the everyday Nigerian for whom the country is no longer working,” he stated.
Makinde urged Nigerians to become more politically active and resist apathy ahead of the 2027 elections.
“This is the time for Nigerians to confront fear, reject apathy, and actively participate in shaping the future of the country,” he added.
Earlier in the day, leaders of both the PDP and APM signed a Memorandum of Understanding in Ibadan as part of the coalition arrangement ahead of the elections.
Makinde described the alliance as the beginning of a broader national coalition aimed at resetting Nigeria politically and economically.
“Today, in Ibadan, the city of warriors, we are witnessing the birth of the first grand alliance between the PDP and APM. This partnership will allow us to field candidates across all elective positions nationwide,” he said.
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Former Osun State Governor, Olagunsoye Oyinlola, who attended the event, said the alliance was formed because many Nigerians had become disappointed with the performance of the ruling APC government.
He said the coalition was necessary to offer Nigerians a stronger alternative ahead of 2027.
However, the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, dismissed claims of any official alliance between the PDP and APM.
Speaking in Abuja, Wike described the arrangement as “political 419,” insisting that neither the PDP nor INEC had approved such a coalition.
“There is no alliance between PDP and APM. What you have is Seyi Makinde trying to pursue a presidential ambition that is already dead on arrival,” Wike said.
Despite the criticism, the Ibadan rally drew top PDP and APM leaders, lawmakers, aspirants, and party loyalists from different parts of the country, turning the Oyo State capital into a major political gathering ahead of the 2027 elections.
