The presidential candidate of the Allied People’s Movement (APM) and Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde, has picked former Director General of the Department of State Services (DSS), Lawal Daura, as his running mate for the 2027 presidential election.
Makinde announced Daura’s candidacy on Thursday at the APM elective national convention held at the Rilwanu Adamu Square, Government House, Bauchi.
Daura replaces Ibrahim Bala, who was earlier announced as Makinde’s running mate but was reportedly designated as a placeholder.
The former DSS director general joined the APM days ago after leaving the African Democratic Congress (ADC), where he had sought the Katsina State governorship ticket.
Ronaldo Sends Heartfelt Message to Messi
Explaining his choice, Makinde said Daura was selected primarily because of his experience and the need to address Nigeria’s worsening security challenges.
The announcement came as Makinde used the convention to position the APM as a credible opposition platform ahead of the 2027 elections, arguing that the contest should be about measurable improvements in the lives of Nigerians rather than political slogans and promises.
“As we approach 2027, therefore, I believe the task before all of us is bigger than winning an election. It is to give Nigerians a real choice about the future of their country,” Makinde said.
He urged the newly elected leadership of the party to collaborate with other opposition groups to build a credible alternative to the ruling party, stressing that strong opposition was essential to the survival of democracy.
“As I said during the Ibadan Declaration in April this year, the presence of credible opposition is what sustains democracy,” he said.
Makinde said Nigerians should judge the next government by outcomes rather than announcements, arguing that economic policies must ultimately be reflected in the purchasing power and living conditions of ordinary citizens.
“When our mothers go to the market, they don’t experience economic policy as a statistic. They experience it in what their money can buy,” he said.
He similarly said young Nigerians should assess government by the availability of productive jobs, while farmers should judge agricultural policies by their productivity, access to markets and incomes.
On security, Makinde said Nigerians were more interested in being able to live and work safely than in the number of security meetings held by government officials.
“Families do not judge security by the number of meetings government has held. They judge it by whether they can travel, farm, work and sleep with their two eyes closed,” he said.
The governor identified poverty reduction, job creation, education, healthcare and security as issues that should dominate the 2027 election.
He also advocated restructuring the Nigerian federation to devolve more powers, resources and decision making to states and local communities.
“Nigeria cannot achieve its full potential when decisions that should be taken in Osun, Kano, Cross River or Enugu must first wait for Abuja,” he said.
Makinde said the political class must also rebuild public trust by ensuring that disagreements did not turn political opponents into enemies.
He challenged all presidential candidates to present their records and measurable plans to Nigerians during the campaign.
“Let the coming campaign be a contest of ideas. Let us debate the evidence. Let us compare records. Let us present measurable plans,” he said.
Meanwhile, Bauchi State Governor, Bala Mohammed, who was inaugurated as the national leader of the APM, expressed confidence in the Makinde Daura ticket.
Mohammed described Makinde as the best presidential candidate for Nigeria and promised that the party would pursue an inclusive approach to governance if elected.
“We are putting square pegs in square holes. Our presidential candidate is an engineer by profession. He knows how to manufacture, develop and draw a plan, and we as administrators are behind him,” he said.
‘I Clothed Obasanjo, Fed his family, Built Alliances That Made Him President’ – Atiku
Nigerians Paying Over 300% Interest on Loan Apps, Oye Urges CBN to Cap Digital Lending Rates
At the convention, Yusuf Dantalle was also re elected as the national chairman of the APM.
Dantalle said Nigeria had the resources and potential to become a prosperous nation but had been held back by leadership challenges.
He called on Nigerians across the country’s six geopolitical zones, ethnic groups and religious communities to support the APM.
“We have everything we need. Nigerians are not supposed to be slaves in their own country. God has given this country the greatness that we require,” he said.
Dantalle pledged that the party would work towards becoming a formidable national political movement capable of producing leaders Nigerians could trust.
He urged party members to take the APM’s message of hope, unity, development and democratic renewal to communities across the country.
The convention marks a significant step in the APM’s preparations for the 2027 presidential election, with Makinde seeking to build a broader opposition coalition around his candidacy.
