2027: Opposition faces hostile political environment, says Makinde

Allied People’s Movement (APM) presidential candidate and Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde, has expressed concern over what he described as Nigeria’s increasingly hostile political environment, and warned that the opposition will not allow the will of the electorate to be undermined during the 2027 general elections.

Makinde made the statement on Friday in Bauchi after a closed-door meeting with Bauchi State Governor Bala Mohammed and members of the APM national leadership.

While speaking to journalists after the meeting, the Oyo governor stressed that the credibility of the 2027 elections will depend on whether Nigerians are allowed to choose their leaders freely without interference or manipulation.

He stated that opposition parties would remain vigilant against any attempts to compromise the electoral process.

“The same thing will happen this time. They must not suppress the will of the people. They must not suppress whatever decisions they take, and we will make sure that happens.

“We will not allow any electoral malpractice. The results must reflect the voice of the Nigerian people,” he said.

Makinde also described the current political atmosphere in the country as one of the most difficult periods for opposition parties, although he stated that better days were still ahead.

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According to him, despite the existing challenges, Nigerians must remain hopeful that positive political change will occur soon.

“As an opposition, the political environment is very toxic. I can say that in the darkest moments. But when the day is coming, that’s the darkest point.

“So, I can assure Nigerians that whatever challenges we face, the day will soon come for a new dawn in this country. Tomorrow, the sun will begin to rise again for Nigeria,” he said.

Speaking about APM’s prospects in the upcoming presidential elections, Makinde expressed confidence that the fate of the party would ultimately depend on the decisions of voters in Nigeria and not on the influence of political structures.

He cited his own emergence as governor of Oyo State in 2019 as proof that election victory is determined by the people.

“In Oyo State in 2019, as the then opposition party to the PDP, the APC was in power at the federal level and also at the state level, but we won.

“What matters is the people. Democracy is about the Nigerian people. We are sure they will speak loud and clear when the time comes,” he added.

Responding to a question on the recent security situation in Oyo State, Makinde argued that the state had maintained relative peace for several years before the recent incident, and urged observers to consider his administration’s broader security record.

He noted that the recent kidnapping of schoolchildren occurred shortly after he declared his intention to run for president.

“I have been in this job for seven years and about two months. The insecurity you mentioned happened almost two months ago. For several years, we have not witnessed anything like this in Oyo State.

“I declared myself to run for president of Nigeria at 4 p.m., and at 9 a.m. the next day, the children were kidnapped,” he said.

The governor also reiterated his long-standing position that state governors are still constrained in tackling insecurity as they do not have direct operational control over security agencies even though they are appointed as chief security officers in their states.

“My brother and I here are the Chief Security Officers in our state, but I cannot give instructions to the Commissioner of Police. He needs approval from the Inspector General of Police. The DSS Director also needs permission from the Director General, and the same goes for the military.

“Yes, I can declare a curfew, but how does that support people’s economic activity? We are doing our best to cooperate with the federal authorities,” he said.

Earlier, Bauchi State Governor Bala Mohammed said his discussions with Makinde focused on governance, security and strengthening APM as a credible opposition platform ahead of the next general election.

“We came together to examine challenges, exchange ideas and learn from each other. Governor Seyi Makinde, as an experienced engineer who has achieved a lot in Oyo State, is someone I have learned a lot from,” Mohammed said.

He commended Makinde’s development initiatives, noting that some of the projects being implemented by the Oyo governor would normally be within the responsibility of the Federal Government.

“You can see that he even carried out projects that would normally be under the responsibility of the Federal Government. He rebuilt an entire airport that belonged to the Federal Government.

“When you visit Oyo today, you will not recognize it as the same city that Soyinka and other great writers once described as ancient. Today it has been transformed into a modern city with wide roads, a revitalized airport and various other developments,” he said.

Mohammed revealed that the two leaders also reviewed security issues affecting their respective states and discussed strategies to expand APM’s national presence ahead of the 2027 elections.

“We also had extensive discussions on security, which remains a major challenge for us as chief security officers in our respective states. We shared our experiences and looked for ways to collectively overcome this challenge.

“Most importantly, we discussed the future of our party, APM, which continues to develop into the next major opposition party in the country. The party is changing its position to play the role of a constructive opposition.

“Governor Makinde, as our presidential candidate, worked tirelessly to ensure our campaign was issue-based, free from hatred and driven by maturity, sound ideas and capable individuals who could provide effective leadership,” he added.