2027: I’ll transmit power to VP whenever I’m on vacation — Makinde

Presidential candidate of the Action Peoples Movement, APM, Governor Seyi Makinde of Oyo State, has vowed to transmit power to the Vice President whenever he is unavailable, promising to obey the Constitution ‘to the letter’ if elected president in 2027.

He made the pledge on Tuesday in Katsina at the APM North-West town meeting, where he outlined his proposed Reset Agenda for the economy, education, security and Nigeria’s political system.

Makinde said his pledge on presidential power transfer was consistent with Section 145 of the Constitution, which requires the President to transmit a written declaration to the Senate President and Speaker of the House of Representatives when proceeding on vacation or otherwise unable to discharge the functions of office.

“I promise you that, as your President, I will follow the Constitution to the letter. If I am not going to be available, if I am on vacation, I will transmit power to the Vice President. Record this and hold me accountable,” he said.

The governor questioned why the same constitutional procedure should not apply at the national level, noting that he transmits power to his deputy when travelling for more than 21 days for reasons other than official duties.

He also promised an issue-based campaign, saying his proposed reset would target an economy that can sustain intensive production and operate around the clock.

“We are determined to reset our economy. Yes, people will argue that Nigeria is rich in natural resources. But natural resources are not enough. You must have skills and knowledge, and you must also have intensive production. Our economy must work 24/7,” Makinde said.

On education, he promised to establish reliable data on the number of out-of-school children and develop measures to return them to school.

“We want to reset our education. We want to measure the data that we are being given. We want to know how many out-of-school children we have and how we get them back into school,” he said.

Makinde also called for mining to be removed from the Exclusive Legislative List and devolved to the states, with the Federal Government retaining oversight.

“Right now, the issue of mining is on the Exclusive Legislative List in our Constitution. Devolve that responsibility to the states and let there be oversight only at the federal level. They will do better,” he said.

He said the proposed restructuring would extend to the broader question of which level of government should take decisions on issues affecting Nigerians.

On security, Makinde cited the recent deaths of 37 young people in Niger State, questioning whether they should be blamed for being born in Nigeria or for seeking means of survival.

“Is it their fault that they were born in Nigeria? Is it their fault that they were looking for means of surviving? No, sir. The answer is no,” he said.

The APM candidate also faulted what he described as an excessive focus on the supply side of illegal mining, arguing that the demand side must equally be addressed.

“People may not want to take responsibility, but from what has been done so far and the actions that have been taken, we can see that we are focusing on the supply side of things. For every 10,000 illegal miners, you have perhaps another 10,000 on the demand side, legitimising the operation,” Makinde said.

On the 2027 election, he urged Nigerians to obtain their Permanent Voter Cards, PVCs, and participate in the poll.

“For the election, I maintain and repeat it: it won’t be APC versus APM, or APM versus ADC, or ADC versus NDC. It will be APC versus Nigerians,” he said.

Makinde said he would return to Katsina, Kaduna, Kano, Kebbi, Zamfara and Jigawa for state-by-state campaigns, acknowledging that the task ahead was challenging but achievable with public support.

He said the ultimate objective was to build a Nigeria that works for everyone, irrespective of tribe, religion or geographical location.

Earlier, APM Vice-Presidential Candidate, Lawal Daura, said the North-West was yearning for change, identifying insecurity and poverty as the region’s most pressing challenges.

“The North-West, and indeed Nigeria at large, is yearning for resetting Nigeria. Here in the North-West, some of our most prominent and pressing problems include, first and foremost, insecurity, and, of course, the twin brother of insecurity, which is poverty,” Daura said.

He said Makinde’s proposed reset aligned with his own belief that Nigeria needed fundamental change, urging supporters to exercise their civic rights and vote for the APM ticket.

Daura said the details of the proposed agenda would be unveiled as the campaign progresses, but identified restoration of security and normalcy as immediate priorities.

“It is real. It is sincere. It is honest, and it is going to deliver,” he said.

Dantalle said the country could no longer afford a situation where insecurity prevents farmers from reaching their farms, children from attending school and Nigerians from conducting their businesses safely.

“We must solve these problems together. Let our farmers return to their farms. Let our children go to school freely. Let Nigerians coexist peacefully and go about their normal businesses. We must put an end to insecurity and hunger, improve access to education, and eradicate poverty,” he said.

Dantalle described Makinde as ‘young, active and pragmatic’, citing his record in Oyo State, while describing Daura as a security expert from Katsina capable of addressing security challenges in the North-West and the country.