Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde, has emerged as the presidential candidate of the Allied People’s Movement (APM) for the 2027 general election, with former Director-General of the State Security Service (SSS), Alhaji Lawal Musa Daura, as his running mate.
The development was announced in a statement issued on Thursday in Ibadan by the Oyo State Commissioner for Information, Dotun Oyelade.
Makinde was elected the party’s presidential candidate at the APM National Convention held on Thursday at Rilwan Adamu Square in Bauchi.
Accepting the party’s ticket, the governor pledged to tackle insecurity and address the worsening poverty affecting millions of Nigerians if elected president.
He described his choice of Daura, who served as SSS director-general from 2015 to 2018, as deliberate, saying the former intelligence chief would bring valuable experience to efforts to address the country’s security challenges.
Makinde also pledged to work with like-minded Nigerians and political stakeholders to build a better country and lift millions of citizens out of poverty.
According to him, the hardship confronting Nigerians has been worsened by poorly implemented policies in recent years.
He said the decision to hold the convention in Bauchi was significant because the state was the home of Nigeria’s first Prime Minister, Sir Abubakar Tafawa Balewa.
The governor described the convention as an important moment in Nigeria’s political history and expressed confidence that purposeful leadership could help the country achieve a better future.
Makinde pledged to bring his experience in governing Oyo State to the national stage, with a focus on improving citizens’ welfare and addressing the country’s security and economic challenges.
He also called on politicians and other stakeholders who share his vision to join forces ahead of the 2027 election.
Daura brings extensive experience in Nigeria’s intelligence and security sector to the ticket, having served as SSS director-general between 2015 and 2018.
Makinde said the former intelligence chief was specifically selected to strengthen the ticket’s capacity to confront insecurity.
His emergence as the APM presidential candidate formally places him in the 2027 presidential race, following his tenure as governor of Oyo State, which began in 2019.
