2027: ‘We can reset Nigeria in four years’ — Makinde

Oyo State Governor and presidential candidate of the Allied Peoples Movement (APM), Seyi Makinde, has said Nigeria can be reset within four years if given the opportunity to lead the country from May 29, 2027.

Makinde made the statement on Monday at the APM North-Central Town Hall Meeting in Lafia, Nasarawa State capital.

He said his administration would introduce a new security architecture, chart a new path for education and rebuild the economy through the use of data, science and logic.

According to him, the proposed reset would also extend to Nigeria’s socio-political environment.

“The reset agenda can be concluded in four years. We had someone who was head of state in this country for 10 months, and he was able to end military rule and usher in the democracy we now enjoy in Nigeria.

“We can reset and give Nigeria a new security architecture, a new path for education, our economy utilising data, science and logic, and our socio-political environment in four years.

“So, as your president from May 29, 2027, we will run a transitional government of national unity that will culminate in new players and an agenda for Nigeria’s sustainable development,” he said.

The governor also criticised the Federal Government’s approach to tackling insecurity, particularly in the North-Central region.

Makinde questioned the planning behind the establishment of additional army divisions, saying he did not see provisions for them in the 2026 budget.

“Midway into 2026, insecurity is a big issue, especially in the North-Central zone. They set up army divisions, and I was looking at the 2026 budget. For the item relating to the setting up of those army divisions, I did not see it.

“If they have it in the budget they prepared for 2026, they should bring it up,” he said.

Makinde said tackling insecurity required proper planning rather than decisions made without adequate budgetary provisions.

He also questioned whether increased allocations to state governments had translated into improved living conditions for Nigerians.

“Yes, they claim the state government has more money from the federation account. I’m not arguing that we have more money, but has it translated to fighting hunger in our society? The answer is no,” he said.

Speaking on Oyo State’s finances, Makinde said the state had reduced its dependence on federal allocation after he assumed office in 2019 but had since returned to a higher level of dependence.

“When I came in as Oyo state governor in 2019, the state’s dependence on federal allocation was 80+ per cent; we worked really hard to bring it down to about 65 per cent in 2022, then came the statement ‘subsidy is gone’… the resultant is that today, Oyo state is back to almost 80 per cent dependent on federal allocation.