By Ayomide Otitoju
Oyo State Governor and Allied Peoples’ Movement (APM) presidential candidate, Seyi Makinde, has urged the Southwest to lead Nigeria’s national renewal, calling on the region to reject nepotism, entitlement and “turn-by-turn” politics.
Makinde made the call on Thursday at the APM Southwest Town Hall meeting held at the Ondo State International Conference Centre, The Dome, in Akure, where he presented his Reset Nigeria agenda.
He described the Southwest as a historic driver of Nigeria’s progress, saying the region must reclaim its leadership role in shaping the country’s political and economic future.
The governor dismissed arguments that the Southwest should not produce another presidential candidate because the region currently holds the presidency. He cited the 1999 presidential election, when former President Olusegun Obasanjo and Olu Falae contested for the presidency without controversy.
According to Makinde, leadership should be based on competence, capacity and readiness to serve rather than claims of entitlement to political office.
He outlined four pillars of his Reset Nigeria agenda: education, the economy, security and sociopolitical empowerment.
Makinde said Nigeria’s prosperity depends on a skilled and knowledgeable population, a secure environment and a political system that allows the opposition to thrive.
On the economy, he criticised what he described as a lack of clarity in the Federal Government’s budgeting process, contrasting it with Oyo State’s January-to-December budget cycle and reported budget performance of more than 70 per cent over the past seven years.
He called for a productive economy in which states receive their statutory allocations promptly and taxation promotes prosperity rather than worsening poverty.
The APM candidate also urged supporters to become “Reset Agents,” obtain their Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) and take the party’s message to households across the country.
He insisted that the Southwest must return to the forefront of national transformation, declaring, “Together, we will reset Nigeria.”
The party’s vice-presidential candidate, Alhaji Lawal Daura, reaffirmed the APM’s commitment to national renewal and cautioned members against what he described as attempts by political infiltrators to create divisions within the party.
In goodwill messages, former Osun State Governor, Prince Olagunsoye Oyinlola; APM Deputy Director-General (Administration), Hajia Maryam Inna Ciroma; and retired civil servant, Dr Layi Ogunbambi, commended Makinde’s courage and urged Nigerian youths to support leaders they described as visionary and energetic.
The APM National Chairman, Alhaji Yusuf Dantalle, and National Leader, Senator Bala Mohammed, criticised the ruling party’s economic policies, arguing that they had worsened hardship across the country.
They expressed confidence in the Makinde-Daura ticket, saying the party could restore economic prosperity and reposition Nigeria if elected in 2027.
Earlier, the Southwest Zonal Coordinator of the Makinde-Daura Campaign Organisation, Chief Eddy Olafeso, said responsible governance must prioritise the welfare of the people, adding that Makinde was prepared to redefine leadership and reset the country.
Other attendees included Oyo State Deputy Governor, Barrister Bayo Lawal; former Deputy Governor, Engineer Hamid Gbadamosi; Speaker of the Oyo State House of Assembly, Adebo Ogundoyin; and former Speaker and Senator, Monsurat Sunmonu, alongside other stakeholders from the Southwest.
