Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde, has formally accepted his nomination as the presidential candidate of the Allied national People’s Movement (APM), pledging to rebuild Nigeria through practical reforms, transparent governance and people-centred leadership.
In his acceptance speech at the event held in Ibadan, Makinde said his ambition was not driven by personal interest but by the urgent need to restore hope and rebuild confidence in Nigeria.
“I stand before you today with deep humility and a profound sense of responsibility as I accept the nomination to serve as the presidential candidate of the Allied People’s Movement for the Federal Republic of Nigeria,” he declared.
The governor said Nigeria possessed the resources and capacity to overcome its challenges through honest leadership and practical reforms that directly impact citizens.
“I believe that we possess the capacity to rebuild our economy through honesty, discipline and practical reforms. When I speak of practical reforms, I mean reforms that directly improve the lives of ordinary Nigerians,” he said.
Makinde promised comprehensive reforms in the oil and gas sector, insisting that Nigerians must benefit from the country’s vast natural resources.
“The NNPC must be reformed into a lean, efficient and commercially driven institution through proper corporate restructuring, stronger partnerships and institutional reforms,” he added.
On food security, the presidential candidate said no nation blessed with abundant resources should allow its citizens to suffer hunger.
“It is unacceptable that a nation blessed with abundant resources still has millions of citizens going to bed hungry. We will begin by gathering accurate and reliable data on our agricultural capacity so that we can identify and address gaps in production, processing, storage and agricultural logistics,” he stated.
Makinde stressed that his campaign would focus on competence and solutions rather than empty promises, adding that “this journey is not about one man’s ambition”.
“I do not stand before you promising miracles. I am an engineer, not a miracle worker. What I promise is leadership that listens, leadership that learns, leadership that acts, and leadership that understands that the true purpose of government is to improve the lives of ordinary citizens,” the governor said.
Earlier, Bauchi State Governor, Senator Bala Mohammed, represented by the state’s Deputy Governor, Mohammed Auwal Jatau, led a high-powered delegation from the North-East to endorse Makinde’s candidacy, describing him as the leader Nigeria needs at a critical moment in its history.
“We are here on behalf of the government and people of Bauchi State to support, endorse and celebrate the emergence of our dear distinguished brother, Oluwaseyi Makinde, as the presidential candidate of the Allied People’s Movement,” he said.
According to him, Makinde possessed the qualities required to lead Nigeria towards progress and national renewal.
“We firmly believe that he is the leader Nigeria needs at this critical moment in our nation’s history. We are confident that he possesses the vision, competence, experience and commitment required to move Nigeria forward and deliver the leadership our people deserve,” he added
The Bauchi delegation also assured the APM candidate of support from the North-East and other parts of northern Nigeria.
Addressing party delegates before the endorsement, the National Chairman of the APM, Yusuf Dantalle, affirmed the aspiration of Makinde to contest as the presidential candidate of the Allied People’s Movement for the office of President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
The National Chairman described Makinde’s emergence as a defining moment in the party’s history and the beginning of what he termed a national rescue mission.
The event drew political stakeholders, party leaders, delegates and coalition partners from across the country, including representatives of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and other allied groups under the emerging “Reset Nigeria Movement”.
