2027: Makinde picks ex-DSS DG Daura as running mate, rallies opposition

Seyi Makinde, the presidential candidate for the Allied People's Movement (APM) and current Governor of Oyo State, has selected former Director-General of the Department of State Services (DSS), Lawal Daura, as his running mate for the 2027 presidential election. The announcement was made at the APM's national convention in Bauchi.

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As I said during the Ibadan Declaration in April this year, the presence of credible opposition is what sustains democracy.

Daura, who recently resigned from the African Democratic Congress after losing a governorship ticket, joined the APM shortly before his selection. Makinde stated that Daura was deliberately chosen to help tackle Nigeria's pressing security issues. At the convention, Yusuf Dantalle was also re-elected as the APM's national chairman.

Makinde articulated that the opposition's primary objective for the 2027 elections extends beyond merely winning power. He stressed the importance of providing Nigerians with a tangible choice regarding the nation's future and demonstrating, through concrete plans and records, how an alternative government could improve citizens' lives. "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 declared.

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So, our new leaders must be ready to work with other opposition parties to ensure that we give Nigerians a credible alternative in the 2027 general election.

He urged the newly elected APM leadership to collaborate with other opposition parties to present a credible alternative in 2027, highlighting the indispensable role of a viable opposition in sustaining democracy. Makinde also called for a shift in electoral focus, advocating for measurable outcomes in governance rather than relying solely on policy announcements and promises that fail to translate into tangible improvements for citizens. He argued that economic policies, for instance, should be evaluated by citizens' purchasing power, not just official statistics.

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The 2027 election must be an election about outcomes. For too long, we have measured governance by announcements. We are presented with policy after policy, rather than evidence of whether those policies have made people’s lives better.