2027: Makinde meets Bala Mohammed, warns against electoral manipulation, says APM ready

By Umar Idris Shuaibu

The presidential candidate of the Allied People’s Movement (APM) and Governor of Oyo State, Seyi Makinde, has warned against any attempt to undermine the will of Nigerians in the 2027 general elections, insisting that the outcome of the polls must reflect the genuine choice of the electorate.

Makinde made the remarks on Friday during a visit to the Governor of Bauchi State, Senator Bala Abdulkadir Mohammed, alongside the National Chairman of the APM, Yusuf Mamman Dantalle, and other members of the party’s national leadership.

The meeting, held behind closed doors at the Bauchi State Government House, centred on issues of security, governance and political developments ahead of the 2027 general elections.

Addressing journalists after the meeting, Makinde described Nigeria’s current political environment as challenging but expressed optimism that the country was on the path to positive change.

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“Being in opposition, the political environment is very toxic. It is one of the darkest moments, but when the day is about to break, that is the darkest point,” he said.

The Oyo State governor said the APM remained confident that Nigerians would freely choose their leaders, warning against any attempt to manipulate the electoral process.

“Same thing is going to happen this time around. They must not suppress the will of the people. We will not allow electoral malpractice; the outcome must reflect the voice of Nigerians,” Makinde stated.

He recalled his emergence as Oyo State governor in 2019 despite contesting from the opposition, saying the experience demonstrated that credible elections could produce unexpected outcomes when the people’s votes count.

Makinde said the party’s confidence ahead of the 2027 election was anchored on the Nigerian electorate, expressing optimism that citizens would make their voices heard at the polls.

On security, the APM presidential candidate described the recent abduction of schoolchildren in Oyo State as an unusual incident, assuring residents that his administration was working closely with federal security agencies to secure the release of the victims and prevent similar occurrences.

He argued that while governors are regarded as chief security officers of their states, they lack operational control over federal security agencies deployed within their jurisdictions.

According to him, commissioners of police, officials of the Department of State Services (DSS) and military commanders receive directives from their respective federal authorities rather than state governments.

“We need to look at our security architecture and ensure that where responsibility is given, authority is also provided to deal with those responsibilities,” he said.

Makinde pledged that an APM-led Federal Government would pursue reforms that align responsibility with operational authority to strengthen Nigeria’s security framework.

On the choice of his running mate, the presidential candidate disclosed that consultations were ongoing and urged Nigerians to await the conclusion of the nomination process in line with the timetable of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

Explaining the purpose of his visit to Bauchi, Makinde said he consulted Governor Mohammed on security, governance and the future of the APM, adding that the discussions provided valuable insights that could benefit Oyo State.

“We discussed issues surrounding our party and the future of democracy in Nigeria,” he added.

Makinde also commended the APM National Chairman, Yusuf Mamman Dantalle, describing him as an energetic leader committed to strengthening the party’s structures nationwide.

Speaking during the visit, Dantalle said the APM was entering the 2027 political contest with a clear agenda to reposition Nigeria.

“APM is not coming to do the usual. What APM is coming with is to reset Nigeria, reboot Nigeria and start solving the problems of Nigeria from the grassroots,” he said.

The party chairman urged Nigerians to actively participate in the democratic process, stressing that meaningful national development could only be achieved through credible leadership and responsible citizenship.

In his remarks, Governor Bala Mohammed said his relationship with Makinde had been built on mutual respect and regular exchanges of ideas on governance and national development.

He said their discussions focused on security challenges, governance and strategies for strengthening democratic institutions.

Mohammed also described the APM as an emerging opposition platform repositioning itself to provide constructive alternatives in Nigeria’s political landscape.

“Most importantly, we discussed the future of our party, the APM, which is steadily growing into the next major opposition party in the country,” he said.

He added that Makinde’s presidential campaign would be driven by ideas, competence and issue-based engagements aimed at offering Nigerians a credible alternative ahead of the 2027 general elections.