Makinde Launches ‘Reset Nigeria’ Campaign, Says 2027 Election Will Be Decided by Voters

ABUJA — The 2027 presidential race has entered a more active phase as Oyo State Governor and Allied Peoples Movement (APM) presidential candidate, Seyi Makinde, formally opened his campaign headquarters in Abuja and challenged Nigerians to judge political contenders by their ideas, records and ability to deliver.

At the commissioning of the APM presidential campaign office in Wuse II on Monday, September 7, Makinde unveiled the “Reset Nigeria” campaign, presenting his presidential bid as an attempt to change how government manages public resources and responds to the everyday concerns of citizens.

The campaign launch also brought together several opposition figures, including former Anambra State governor and Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) presidential candidate Peter Obi, Bauchi State Governor and APM National Leader Bala Mohammed, APM National Chairman Yusuf Mamman Dantalle, and the party’s vice-presidential candidate, former Department of State Services (DSS) Director-General Lawal Daura.

Makinde’s message was particularly directed at those who may regard his presidential ambition as unlikely to succeed.

He argued that political calculations cannot replace the power of voters, stressing that while an individual candidate can be underestimated, millions of citizens cannot simply be written off at the ballot box.

“They may discount one candidate. But they cannot discount millions of Nigerians united behind a better future,” Makinde said.

Makinde’s ‘Reset Nigeria’ pitch

Rather than presenting the campaign solely around his personal political ambition, Makinde used the Abuja event to outline the philosophy behind his proposed national campaign.

According to him, “Reset Nigeria” is intended to promote greater transparency, accountability and a stronger connection between the country’s resources and the living conditions of ordinary Nigerians.

His campaign’s official platform describes the movement as one focused on competent leadership, shared prosperity and government that serves citizens.

Makinde said the approach would require government to explain how major decisions are reached, how public funds are spent and who ultimately benefits from government policies.

That position formed one of the central themes of his speech: government should be able to show its workings.

The governor said this principle should apply across sectors rather than being limited to politics or petroleum.

He specifically mentioned the need for Nigerians to understand how decisions involving public resources are made and how value moves from government policies to the people.

Petrol pricing: Makinde draws a line between his proposal and subsidy

One of the most significant policy clarifications from the event concerned petrol pricing.

Makinde rejected the interpretation that his position on domestic crude oil pricing amounted to a promise to restore Nigeria’s former fuel subsidy system.

Instead, he argued that crude produced in Nigeria and supplied to domestic refineries should reflect the country’s status as an oil-producing nation.

His argument centres on the cost at which locally produced crude enters the domestic refining chain.

Makinde questioned why crude produced in Nigeria should be supplied to Nigerian refineries on terms that effectively treat it as though it had travelled through an international market before reaching the refinery.

He subsequently called for greater transparency throughout the petroleum value chain, including crude production, domestic crude allocation, refining, transportation, distribution, taxes, margins and the eventual retail price paid by motorists.

The distinction is important because the debate over petrol pricing remains politically sensitive in Nigeria following the removal of the former petrol subsidy and the subsequent changes in fuel prices.

Makinde’s proposal, therefore, appears aimed at changing the structure through which Nigerians benefit from domestic crude rather than simply returning to the previous subsidy arrangement.

Obi’s appearance adds another dimension to the opposition politics

Perhaps one of the most politically notable moments at the Abuja event was the presence of Peter Obi, who is running for president on the NDC platform.

Obi’s attendance placed two opposition presidential contenders at the same political event, even though they are currently seeking the presidency on separate platforms.

Speaking at the gathering, Obi said Makinde was qualified to contest for president and argued that political competition should not prevent opposition figures from working together for the national interest.

He also said whoever eventually wins a free, fair and credible presidential election should receive the cooperation of other political actors.

Obi’s remarks focused heavily on poverty, hunger, insecurity and the need to move Nigerian politics away from personal confrontation and toward solving practical problems.

The appearance is particularly significant because opposition parties have continued to discuss possible cooperation ahead of the 2027 election.

However, Obi’s presence at Makinde’s campaign launch should not by itself be interpreted as an endorsement of Makinde’s candidacy. The two remain presidential candidates of different political platforms, while the broader opposition realignment remains fluid.

Bala Mohammed: ‘Don’t underestimate Makinde’

Bauchi State Governor and APM National Leader Bala Mohammed used the occasion to warn political opponents against dismissing Makinde’s chances.

Mohammed argued that the governor’s experience in Oyo State, private-sector background and knowledge of the oil and gas industry gave him attributes that could be relevant at the federal level.

His warning was direct: those who underestimate the APM ticket could do so at their own political risk.

The APM leadership is consequently attempting to position Makinde not simply as another opposition candidate but as a potential alternative to the established political parties ahead of 2027.

Daura’s security experience forms the second pillar of the ticket

Makinde’s running mate, Lawal Daura, brings a markedly different political background to the ticket.

Daura is a former Director-General of the DSS, making national security one of the areas the APM is likely to emphasise as the campaign develops.

The party has repeatedly presented the Makinde-Daura combination as one that pairs administrative experience with security and intelligence expertise.

At the Abuja event, Daura also urged Nigerians to distinguish between a candidate who is legally qualified to contest an election and one capable of persuading voters to elect him.

He called for political competition based on ideas and competence rather than attacks against rival politicians.

That message is likely to become increasingly relevant as the 2027 campaign environment becomes more competitive.

APM says campaign will focus on issues

APM National Chairman Yusuf Mamman Dantalle described the new campaign headquarters as the operational base for the party’s 2027 presidential campaign.

He said the party intends to focus on solutions, competence, accountability and the country’s future instead of what he described as divisive political rhetoric.

The party’s official campaign platform similarly presents “Reset Nigeria” as a nationwide movement built around competence, integrity, progress and shared prosperity.

That positioning places the APM in a familiar but increasingly crowded political space: opposition parties seeking to convince voters that the next election should be determined by performance and policy rather than established political structures.

What the Abuja launch means for 2027

The opening of the campaign headquarters does not, on its own, determine Makinde’s electoral prospects. What it does demonstrate is that the APM has moved from presenting Makinde’s presidential ambition as a political possibility to building a more visible national campaign structure.

Makinde announced former DSS Director-General Lawal Daura as his running mate in August, completing the APM’s presidential ticket.

The campaign office commissioning therefore represents another step in converting the ticket into a nationwide political organisation.

The bigger question will be whether the APM can translate the governor’s profile in Oyo State into meaningful support across Nigeria.

For Makinde, the challenge is no longer simply establishing that he intends to run. He must demonstrate that the “Reset Nigeria” message can resonate beyond his existing political base and provide specific answers to issues such as insecurity, inflation, energy costs, unemployment, infrastructure, public-sector accountability and economic growth.

What Nigerians should watch next

Several issues are likely to shape the next stage of the Makinde campaign.

First is the policy detail. Nigerians will want to see how the “Reset Nigeria” slogan translates into measurable policies, particularly on petrol pricing, energy, security, jobs and public spending.

Second is national mobilisation. The APM will have to demonstrate organisational strength outside Oyo State and the South-West if it wants to compete seriously on a national scale.

Third is opposition cooperation. Obi’s appearance at the launch underlines the continuing interaction among opposition figures. Whether those interactions eventually produce a broader electoral arrangement remains a major question ahead of 2027.

Fourth is voter perception. Makinde’s argument that millions of voters cannot be discounted ultimately places the responsibility on voters themselves. His campaign will need to persuade Nigerians that the proposed “reset” is both credible and achievable.

For now, the Abuja launch has given the APM a clearer national platform and placed Makinde’s presidential campaign more firmly into the emerging 2027 political contest.

The next phase will be less about launching the campaign and more about convincing Nigerians that the proposed reset can deliver tangible results.