Credible opposition sustains democracy, Makinde seeks coalition ahead of 2027

Seyi Makinde, the Governor of Oyo State and presidential candidate for the Allied People’s Movement (APM), has called for a coalition of opposition parties to present a unified and credible alternative in Nigeria's 2027 general elections.

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The presence of a credible opposition is what sustains democracy.

Speaking at the APM national convention in Bauchi, Makinde emphasized the crucial role of a strong opposition in sustaining democracy. He urged the party's new leadership to actively collaborate with other opposition parties to offer Nigerians a genuine choice in the upcoming elections. "The presence of a credible opposition is what sustains democracy," Makinde stated, stressing the need for collaboration to ensure a viable alternative is presented.

Makinde advocated for a shift in electoral focus, moving away from mere political slogans and campaign promises towards measurable outcomes. He argued that Nigerians experience government policies not through announcements, but in their daily lives – through the cost of goods in the market and the availability of productive work. "When our mothers go to the market, they experience economic policy as a statistic. They experience it in what their money can buy," he explained.

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For too long, we have measured governors by announcements. We are presented with policy after policy, rather than evidence of where those policies have made people’s lives better.

The governor called for governments to be assessed based on productivity, market access, improved family welfare, and security, rather than the number of meetings or programs. He defined security not by the frequency of meetings, but by the peace of mind citizens experience. "Security is not the number of security meetings in Government House. It is whether people come home and sleep with their two eyes closed," Makinde said.

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When our mothers go to the market, they experience economic policy as a statistic. They experience it in what their money can buy: how much rice, how much beans, and how much they can take home.

He further stressed the need for an economy that lifts people out of poverty, creates jobs for youth, provides quality education, and ensures effective security. Makinde also supported a stronger federal structure, advocating for decisions and resources to be decentralized while ensuring accountability. The goal, he said, is a political system that restores trust between leaders and citizens.

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Security is not the number of security meetings in Government House. It is whether people come home and sleep with their two eyes closed.