…Vows to tackle insecurity, worsening poverty

Oyo State Governor, Engr. Seyi Makinde, has officially emerged as the presidential candidate of the Allied People’s Movement (APM) for the 2027 general election, picking former Director-General of the State Security Service (SSS), Alhaji Lawal Musa Daura, as his running mate.

The announcement was contained in a statement issued by the Oyo State Commissioner for Information, Dotun Oyelade, on Thurday in Ibadan.

Makinde emerged as the party’s presidential candidate at the APM National Convention held at Rilwan Adamu Square, Bauchi, on Thursday.

The governor, while accepting the party’s ticket, pledged to tackle insecurity and address the worsening poverty confronting millions of Nigerians if elected president.

He said his choice of Daura, who served as SSS Director-General from 2015 to 2018, was deliberate, stressing that the former intelligence chief would bring the experience required to address the country’s security challenges.

Makinde said he was prepared to work with like-minded Nigerians and politicians to build a better country and lift millions of citizens out of poverty.

According to him, the increasing hardship being experienced across the country was partly the result of poorly implemented policies in recent years.

He said the location of the convention in Bauchi was significant, noting that the state was the home of Nigeria’s first Prime Minister, Sir Abubakar Tafawa Balewa.

The APM candidate said the event represented an important moment in the country’s political history and expressed confidence that Nigerians could achieve a better future through purposeful leadership.

Makinde pledged to bring his experience in Oyo State governance to the national level, with emphasis on improving the welfare of Nigerians and tackling the challenges confronting the country.

The governor also called on politicians and other stakeholders who shared his vision to work together ahead of the 2027 election.

Daura, his running mate, served as Director-General of the SSS between 2015 and 2018 and brings extensive experience in Nigeria’s intelligence and security sector to the ticket.

Makinde said the former SSS chief was specifically chosen to strengthen the ticket’s capacity to confront the country’s insecurity.

The governor’s emergence on the APM platform formally positions him in the 2027 presidential contest, having served as Oyo State governor since 2019.