APM: Makinde to Challenge Tinubu in 12 Battleground States, Others

The Allied Peoples Movement (APM) has expressed confidence that its presidential candidate, Seyi Makinde, will defeat President Bola Tinubu in the 12 states identified by the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) as battlegrounds for the 2027 presidential election, as well as in other parts of the country.

In a statement issued by Richard Ihediwa, Director of Strategic Communication for the Makinde-Daura Presidential Campaign Organisation (MDPCO), the party argued that political manoeuvring, intimidation and alleged misuse of incumbency by individuals close to the President would not reverse what it described as growing opposition to his re-election bid.

The APC Presidential Campaign Council had reportedly identified 12 states where Tinubu would personally participate in campaign activities ahead of the 2027 election. The states are Kaduna, Rivers, Plateau, Oyo, Borno, Enugu, Bauchi, Sokoto, Delta, Kano, Adamawa and Lagos.

Reacting to the development, the MDPCO said the President’s reported decision to focus on the 12 states reflected what it described as concern over Makinde’s growing political reach and the reception of his Reset Nigeria agenda across the country.

The organisation maintained that Tinubu’s planned visits would not change voters’ determination to reject his re-election, citing what it described as the administration’s failures and the economic hardship experienced by Nigerians.

It also criticised the Federal Government’s record, arguing that the President had little to show for his time in office across the 12 states and other parts of the federation. According to the campaign organisation, the administration’s policies had contributed to widespread hardship, prompting some Nigerians to refer to the President as “T-Pain”.

The MDPCO challenged Tinubu to travel by road across the country to assess the condition of federal highways, living conditions in many communities and what it described as widespread infrastructural deterioration.

It further urged the President to engage directly with residents during campaign visits rather than limiting his interactions to rallies and airport receptions.

“If President Tinubu believes he is popular as he claims, he should not stop at the rally ground or at the airport when he gets to any of the states,” the organisation said, adding that he should engage communities and towns to seek voters’ support.

The campaign group contrasted Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda with Makinde’s Reset Nigeria platform, which it described as a policy-driven approach focused on rebuilding public institutions and improving governance outcomes.

According to the MDPCO, Makinde’s agenda proposes an inclusive, four-year transitional government of national unity, built around four priority areas: education, the economy, security and socio-political reforms.

The organisation said the economic component would focus on tackling poverty through increased production, while its security proposals would combine intelligence gathering, social reorientation and both kinetic and non-kinetic measures.

On education, the campaign group said the plan prioritises broader access to quality, functional education, alongside reforms intended to strengthen public institutions.

It added that the governance component emphasises inclusiveness, institutional accountability and responsible public leadership.

The MDPCO maintained that these proposals would form the foundation of Makinde’s campaign as political activities gather momentum ahead of the 2027 presidential election.