…Bala Mohammed, Makinde urge Nigerians to demand good governance in 2027

The Allied Peoples Movement (APM) has re-elected its National Chairman, Yusuf Mamman Dantalle for another term during the Bauchi Convention held on Thursday. The Convention also installed Bala Mohammed as its National Leader, as the party intensified preparations for the 2027 general elections.

The party’s presidential candidate, Governor Seyi Makinde of Oyo State, said the party had emerged as a credible opposition platform capable of offering Nigerians an alternative ahead of the 2027 elections.

Makinde said the presence of credible opposition was essential to sustaining democracy, urging the new leadership of the party to work with other opposition parties to provide Nigerians with meaningful choices at the polls.

He said the 2027 election should not be dominated by slogans, promises and political declarations, but should focus on measurable outcomes and the impact of government policies on citizens.

According to him, Nigerians should assess political leaders based on what has changed in their lives rather than the number of policies or projects announced by governments.

“When our mothers go to the market, they don’t experience economic policy as a statistic; they experience it in what their money can buy,” he said, adding that graduates should judge job-creation policies by whether they can secure productive employment and build independent lives.

He said farmers should assess agricultural policies based on productivity and access to markets, while citizens should judge security by their ability to travel, farm and sleep peacefully.

Makinde said the central question before Nigerians in 2027 should therefore be: “What has changed for Nigerians?”

He challenged political parties seeking to replace the current government to explain what they would do differently and the measurable difference Nigerians should expect.

He added that APM would advocate an economy capable of moving more than 140 million Nigerians living in poverty towards prosperity, while creating productive opportunities for the country’s predominantly young population.

Makinde said Nigeria’s political system must restore public trust, arguing that political leaders must ensure that their words and commitments have meaning.

He said APM was seeking to promote a political culture in which disagreement would not make political opponents enemies and opposition would be based on presenting a credible and demonstrably better alternative.

“Let the coming campaign be a contest of ideas. Let us debate the evidence. Let us compare records. Let us present measurable plans,” he said.

The presidential candidate described Bauchi as an important location for the beginning of the party’s political journey, noting its historical significance as the state that produced Nigeria’s first Prime Minister at independence.

Also speaking, Governor Bala Mohammed expressed appreciation to the APM for entrusting him with the position of National Leader.

Mohammed pledged to support Makinde’s presidential ambition and said the party had assembled what he described as a team capable of addressing Nigeria’s challenges.

He said Makinde’s engineering background would bring technical expertise to governance, while administrators within the party would provide the necessary political and administrative support.

The governor also endorsed former Director-General of the Department of State Services, Alhaji Lawal Daura, as Makinde’s running mate, describing the choice as appropriate for addressing Nigeria’s security challenges.

“We are putting square pegs in square holes,” Mohammed said.

He pledged that the APM would operate an inclusive government and accommodate Nigerians across political, ethnic and other divides if elected.

In his acceptance speech after being re-elected National Chairman, Dantalle pledged to build a stronger, more cohesive and disciplined APM capable of responding to the aspirations of Nigerians.

He said the party would expand its membership, strengthen its structures nationwide, deepen internal democracy and intensify grassroots mobilisation ahead of the 2027 elections.

Dantalle described the APM manifesto as a social contract with Nigerians and pledged that the party would place national interest above narrow personal and sectional interests.

He also promised greater participation for women and empowerment opportunities for young Nigerians.

According to him, the APM would not seek to win youths through the distribution of food items and campaign materials but would focus on creating an environment where young people could become economically independent.

Dantalle described Makinde as qualified to seek the presidency, citing his record of governance in Oyo State as evidence of his capacity, experience and commitment to development.

He also called on Nigerians across the six geopolitical zones to join the APM, popularly identified with the cassava symbol, saying the party was determined to emerge as a formidable national political movement.

The chairman further criticised the continued migration of Nigerians abroad, popularly described as “Japa,” arguing that poor leadership and administrative deficits were contributing to the loss of confidence in the country.

He said Nigeria possessed the resources and human capacity required for development but needed leadership capable of managing its resources effectively.

The convention also adopted a new constitution for the party, with delegates unanimously affirming their willingness to operate under the new document.

Dantalle subsequently inaugurated Governor Bala Mohammed as the National Leader of the APM.

He urged party members to take the APM’s message of hope, unity, development and democratic renewal to every ward, local government, state and community ahead of the 2027 elections.

He described the mobilisation strategy as “Operation Talk to Somebody, to Talk to Somebody, to Talk to Somebody,” aimed at expanding the party’s grassroots presence nationwide.

The APM leadership said the party’s ultimate objective was to provide Nigerians with a credible political alternative and reset the country’s political and development trajectory ahead of the 2027 general elections.

The full list of the elected officials are; Yusuf Mamman Dantalle (National Chairman), Chika Illechukwu (Deputy National Chairman), Oyadeyi Ayodele Adebayo (National Secretary), Bashir Bala, (Assistant National Secretary), Suffiyanu Adamu (Vice chairman North West), Hajia Aishetu Suleiman Jaji (Vice chairman North East), Osamuede Igbineweka (Vice Chairman South),
Barr. Boluwaji Peter Oloro (Vice Chairman South West).

Others are; Mohammed Musa Akai (Vice chairman North Central), Hafsat.M.B. Usman (National Women Leader), Barr. Okpe Queen Oyibo (Deputy National Women Leader),:Yusuf Abubakar (National Publicity Secretary) Victoria Momoh (Deputy National Publicity Secretary), Zaavalo Badom (National Treasurer), Labaran Yunusa (National Financial Secretary) Simon Ekwe (National Public Relations Officer) among others.