Nigeria Needs Energetic President To Solve Her Problems – Makinde

Oyo State governor and Allied Peoples Movement (APM) presidential candidate, Seyi Makinde, has said the 2027 election must be decided on energy and capacity to work, not on age or political sentiment.

Speaking at the party’s presidential campaign gathering in Akure, Ondo State, Makinde said Nigeria’s problems – insecurity, economic hardship and failing public services – demand a president who can withstand the rigours of the office.

“While I will not make age an issue in this campaign, I will make energy an issue. We need a leader who has the energy to stay up late, withstand the rigours of the office and tackle the challenges facing our country,” Makinde said.

He said the APM’s “Reset Nigeria” agenda would be built around that capacity, with priority given to infrastructure, education and security.

Makinde argued that Nigeria’s oil wealth alone had not translated into prosperity, insisting that only investment in skills, knowledge and competent leadership could turn resources into real economic gains.

He also took a swipe at the Tinubu administration over budget implementation, asking which budget the Federal Government was currently operating, and urged the South-West to reject what he described as the politics of deceit.

Pointing to his record in Oyo State, Makinde said his administration offered a practical example of the governance style the APM intends to replicate nationally.

Earlier, APM National Chairman, Yusuf Dantalle, set the tone for the rally, declaring that Nigeria needed a reset.

He said despite being a major petroleum-producing country, Nigerians still pay through the nose for fuel, while civil servants can no longer survive on their earnings.

Dantalle also questioned the effectiveness of compulsory SIM card registration as a security tool, noting that bandits still abduct and kill Nigerians, including senior military officers, without being brought to justice.

“If the APC is not checked, I am concerned about what will happen to this country and the legacy we will leave behind. This is not about religion, language or political party; it is about Nigeria. Nobody will fix Nigeria for us unless we do it ourselves,” he said.

Also speaking, the party’s national leader and Bauchi State Governor, Senator Bala Mohammed, described Makinde as a candidate who understands Nigeria’s challenges, particularly in infrastructure and public services.

Mohammed said the APM had chosen a vice-presidential candidate with security experience to complement Makinde’s strengths, adding that the party had presented a credible alternative to Nigerians ahead of 2027.