Get Guardian on Google• Electoral reform, security, anti-graft, subsidy top agenda
Presidential candidates of three main opposition parties have unveiled their plans to raise Nigeria from the ashes of rot, insecurity and economic quandary.
Governor of Oyo State, Seyi Makinde, who flies the presidential flag of Allied Peoples Movement (APM), proposed a constitutional and electoral reform that would require presidential candidates to secure at least 50 per cent plus one vote to win Nigeria’s presidency.
He said the measure would promote national consensus and produce governments with broader popular support.
Assuring Nigerians of a new economic order that will impact citizens visibly, he also promised to fix the security situation, provide good education and establish a conducive socio-political space, if voted into office in next year’s general election.
On his part, presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (Obi), Peter Obi, pledged to tackle insecurity, corruption and disunity if elected president, promising a tougher approach to kidnapping and attacks on pupils.
But the presidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, took another economic route, pledging to restore fuel subsidy, reopen Nigeria’s land borders for legitimate business and tackle insecurity.
Makinde, who unveiled his presidential ambition and outlined his proposed ‘Reset Agenda’ yesterday, advocated a transitional government of national unity as part of efforts to address the country’s political divisions and institutional weaknesses.
He said the proposed electoral threshold would compel presidential candidates and political parties to build alliances across ethnic, religious and political divides rather than emerge with the support of minority votes.
The governor, who spoke at an engagement with political stakeholders, said Nigeria needed a fundamental reset anchored on economic growth, institutional accountability, national unity and poverty reduction.
Makinde argued that economic reforms should not be judged by improvements in macroeconomic indicators alone but by their impact on the living conditions of ordinary citizens.
He said: “Macroeconomic stability must have a direct impact on the people through job creation, improved incomes and a lower cost of living. These are issues we cannot shy away from.”
Meanwhile, National Chairman of the Social Democratic Party (SDP), Yusuf Dantalle, described Makinde as a shining light of the opposition, commending his contributions to democratic development and efforts to foster cooperation among opposition political parties.
Makinde urged all Nigerians to read the manifesto carefully, “study the commitments, examine the timelines, ask difficult questions and challenge every assumption.”
Obi, during a town hall in Calabar, Cross River State, outlined his priorities on national security, education, healthcare and citizens’ welfare.
The Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) flagbearer said Nigeria’s divisions weakened the country’s ability to confront its security challenges, stressing that national unity was necessary to restore stability and development.
“Our commitment is to unite Nigeria. Nigeria today is not united. If we unite Nigeria today, we will have the strength to fight insecurity,” he said.
On security, the former governor of Anambra vowed that his administration would pursue kidnappers and other criminal elements into their hideouts, particularly those responsible for abducting pupils.
“Anybody who kidnaps schoolchildren and goes into the bush, we will be in that bush with him, wherever it is. We are not scared of him,” he said.
Obi also promised to confront corruption, insisting that public resources must be deployed for the benefit of citizens rather than diverted for personal enrichment.
“We will fight corruption head-on. We want people to stop stealing public money. Public money must be used for public good and for the welfare of the people,” he said.
Atiku, while addressing a large crowd of party supporters at the ADC presidential campaign flag-off held along Ilorin Road in Sokoto State, yesterday, lamented the country’s economic and security challenges, saying Nigerians had never experienced such hardship as the one under the All Progressives Congress (APC)-led administration.
The former vice president accused the ruling government of implementing anti-people policies that had worsened the living conditions of Nigerians, insisting that the ADC would prioritise security, economic recovery and improved welfare if voted into power.
He assured supporters that he was committed to fulfilling his campaign promises, urging Nigerians to vote for the ADC and remain vigilant in protecting their votes during the 2027 elections.
Atiku described Sokoto as politically significant, noting that its position as the Seat of the Caliphate gave it considerable influence not only in Nigeria but also across West Africa.
He accused the ruling APC of attempting to frustrate the campaign rally, insisting that the event would not have held without the determination and resilience of ADC members in the state.
Earlier, the party’s leader in Sokoto and former governor, Senator Aminu Tambuwal, criticised the state government over alleged attempts to frustrate the party’s campaign activities.
Tambuwal accused the APC-led administration of denying the ADC access to campaign venues and hotel accommodation, describing the actions as efforts to undermine opposition activities in the state.
