Oyo State governor, ‘Seyi Makinde, has spoken on the need for a new direction to emerge in order to reset Nigeria, promising to give Nigerians practical reforms that will translate to improved welfare and security for all citizens if elected as the country’s president in the 2027 general elections.
The governor stated this in his acceptance speech after being affirmed as the consensus presidential candidate of the Allied People’s Movement (APM) at the Professor Theophilus Ogunlesi Hall, University College Hospital, Ibadan, on Saturday, May 30.
Makinde, who lamented the rising case of insecurity, inflation and hunger in the country, in a statement by his Special Adviser (Media), Dr Sulaimon Olanrewaju, said: “Today, even as I stand here, some innocent school children and citizens abducted by terrorists are still in captivity.
“As Governor of Oyo State, I carry the painful burden of being called Chief Security Officer, yet lacking constitutional control over the security agencies needed to fully confront these threats. No Governor should be placed in a situation where responsibility is placed on his shoulders, but the necessary authority is withheld.
“As President of Nigeria, I will work to reform our national security architecture so that states are no longer left helpless in moments of crisis. The decentralisation that we need for a more effective security will be prioritised. The safety of Nigerians will not be treated as a political talking point. It will be a national duty.
“I believe we have the capacity to rebuild our economy with honesty and practical reforms.”
While stressing that Nigerians must benefit from their citizenship of an oil producing country, Makinde promised to pursue fair, transparent and right pricing templates for petroleum products that reflect the realities of the cost of production.
He added, “Nigerians must be protected from arbitrary pricing and not have to bear the cost of the government’s failure to secure our borders.
“I dare dream that the NNPC will be reformed and become lean, efficient, and commercially driven through proper joint venture incorporation and institutional reforms.
“I dare dream that we will reset Nigeria and take the difficult but necessary decision to restructure the ownership of our refineries so Nigeria can finally stop bleeding resources into systems that no longer serve the people effectively.”
He also promised to expand practical transportation support systems using models that have already shown promise at the state level to ease the burdens of high cost of transportation on workers, students, traders, and families.
Makinde said he would guarantee food security by collating accurate data about the nation’s capacity in the agriculture sector so that the gaps in production, processing, agrologistics and storage could be addressed.
The Oyo State governor assured Nigerians of a presidential campaign that would be about solutions, competence and the future, saying, “Together, we can build a Nigeria where security is not a privilege, where opportunity is not reserved for a few, and where leadership finally serves the people.”
Earlier, after the affirmation of Governor Seyi Makinde as the presidential candidate by the 36 state chairmen of Allied People’s Movement, the party’s National Chairman, Alhaji Yusuf Dantalle described Makinde’s emergence as the beginning of a new chapter in Nigeria’s political history.
He said Nigeria is ready to entrust leadership to a new generation of visionary leaders committed to human development, security, education, healthcare, agriculture, wealth creation, infrastructure and technology.
Dantalle said that power must be returned to the people, in whom sovereignty ultimately resides, noting that the APM was committed to building a government that would place citizens at the centre of decision making.
In their separate goodwill messages, the Governor of Bauchi State, Senator Bala Mohammed, represented by his deputy, Rt. Hon. Mohammed Jatau; and the APM Lagos State gubernatorial candidate, Hon Laja Adeoye, assured the people that Governor Makinde would deliver the best for the country, and urged all the party stakeholders to work for his victory at the polls.
In his welcome address, the Oyo State governorship candidate of APM, Hon. ‘Bimbo Adekanmbi, appreciated all the party leaders and the delegates from the 36 states for their support which he said demonstrated the unity and strength of a collective vision.
He stated that the unprecedented achievements recorded across all sectors in Oyo State could be replicated in Nigeria, as Governor Makinde’s governance has delivered tangible results through his commitment and vision.
The event had in attendance a former governor of Osun State, Prince Olagunsoye Oyinlola; the Deputy Governor of Oyo State, Barrister Bayo Lawal; a former deputy governor of Oyo State, Engr. Hamid Gbadamosi; Speaker, Oyo State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Adebo Ogundoyin; Secretary to the State Government, Prof. Musibau Babatunde; Chief of Staff, Otunba (Dr) Segun Ogunwuyi; Deputy Chief of Staff, Hon. Kazeem Adeniyi; commissioners, party leaders and delegates from across the country, lawmakers, and local government chairmen, among other dignitaries.
