2027: Makinde best man to defeat Tinubu — APM

The Allied Peoples Movement has thrown its weight behind Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde, as the preferred candidate for a possible opposition alliance against President Bola Tinubu in the 2027 presidential election.

The party’s position comes ahead of an expected meeting on Monday, August 32, 2026, of the G-100, a political pressure group advocating the emergence of a single opposition presidential candidate capable of challenging Tinubu at the polls.

The APM, through its National Publicity Secretary, Abubakar Yusuf, urged other opposition presidential aspirants to put aside personal ambitions and support Makinde, whom it described as the politician with the strongest prospects of defeating the incumbent.

The development comes amid indications that efforts to produce a single opposition candidate are facing difficulties, with the camps of the African Democratic Party’s presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar and his Nigeria Democratic Congress counterpart, Peter Obi, seemingly unwilling to abandon their respective presidential ambitions.

Yusuf, who spoke in Abuja on Monday while addressing journalists, nevertheless said consultations among opposition parties were progressing, stressing that the objective should be to build a formidable political platform against the ruling All Progressives Congress.

“I can confirm to you that discussions and consultations among opposition parties are going on well and reaching an advanced stage on the issue of a single presidential candidate.

“Without prejudice to the outcome of the consultations, Governor Makinde comes clearer as the best opposition consensus presidential candidate,” he said.

While describing the process as sensitive because of the competing interests involved, the APM image maker maintained that the desire for an alternative to the present administration should take precedence.

“It is a delicate issue that touches on interests. But most importantly, we, especially in the APM, are listening to Nigerians. What Nigerians want is for opposition parties to come together, form a strong front and defeat President Tinubu in the 2027 elections,” Yusuf said.

According to him, another factor that opposition leaders cannot afford to ignore is the argument in some political circles that the South should produce Tinubu’s successor in 2027, allowing the region to complete another four-year tenure before power potentially returns to the North.

He cited Makinde’s performance as governor and his alleged popularity among young people, professionals and other sections of the electorate as factors that, in the APM’s view, give him an advantage over other contenders.

“Go across the country and ask questions. You will notice that Nigerians want a new beginning. They want a leader with new and practical ideas, not theories and finger-pointing; a leader with answers and solutions, and Governor Makinde fits into the frame,” Yusuf said.

He further credited the Oyo governor with having what he described as a practical blueprint for addressing the country’s security, economic and infrastructure challenges.

“He is the only candidate with the blueprint to secure the nation, revamp the economy, create new jobs and revitalise our comatose infrastructure. This is a fact that you can verify,” he added.

The APM spokesman also dismissed the suggestion that the party’s endorsement of Makinde was based solely on the argument over regional rotation.

“Also, don’t overlook the fact that Makinde is from the South, that is having regard to the sentiment that the South should be allowed to replace President Tinubu to complete the remaining four-year tenure after which power will go to the North,” he said.

Asked whether the reported reluctance of the Atiku and Obi camps to embrace a single opposition candidate was connected to the regional consideration or their individual presidential ambitions, Yusuf said he could not speak for the two politicians.

He, however, appealed to all opposition stakeholders to subordinate their personal interests to the broader objective of producing a candidate capable of mounting a serious challenge to the APC in 2027.

“I cannot speak for them. What is important now is for all stakeholders to set aside their personal interests and support Governor Makinde, who we insist is best positioned to defeat President Tinubu at the election,” he said.

The search for a consensus opposition candidate has become one of the major issues ahead of the 2027 presidential contest, with several opposition figures and political groups advocating a united platform against the APC.