The Allied Peoples Movement has urged former Vice President Atiku Abubakar and former Anambra State Governor Peter Obi to shelve their presidential ambitions and support Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde as the consensus candidate of the opposition ahead of the 2027 presidential election.
The APM said Makinde was the opposition politician best positioned to defeat President Bola Tinubu, urging other presidential aspirants to subordinate their personal ambitions to the broader objective of forging a united front against the ruling All Progressives Congress.
The party’s National Publicity Secretary, Abubakar Yusuf, made the call in Abuja on Monday while briefing journalists on ongoing consultations among opposition parties over the emergence of a single presidential candidate.
Yusuf said discussions among opposition stakeholders were progressing, although he acknowledged the sensitivity of producing a consensus candidate amid competing political interests.
“I can confirm to you that discussions and consultations among opposition parties are going on well and reaching an advanced stage on the issue of a single presidential candidate. Without prejudice to the outcome of the consultations, Governor Makinde comes clearer as the best opposition consensus presidential candidate,” he said.
The APM spokesman said the party was advocating Makinde because of what it described as his political acceptability, performance in Oyo State and appeal among young Nigerians and professionals.
“What Nigerians want is for opposition parties to come together, form a strong front and defeat President Tinubu in the 2027 elections,” Yusuf said.
He maintained that Makinde possessed the experience and policy direction required to address the country’s security, economic and infrastructure challenges.
“He is the only candidate with the blueprint to secure the nation, revamp the economy, create new jobs and revitalise our comatose infrastructure. This is a fact that you can verify,” he added.
Yusuf’s call comes amid reported difficulties in efforts by opposition groups to produce a single presidential candidate, with the camps of Atiku and Obi appearing unwilling to abandon their respective ambitions.
Although he said he could not speak for either Atiku or Obi, the APM spokesman appealed to all opposition stakeholders to put aside individual interests in the interest of building a formidable challenge to the APC.
“I cannot speak for them. What is important now is for all stakeholders to set aside their personal interests and support Governor Makinde, who we insist is best positioned to defeat President Tinubu at the election,” he said.
The APM also linked its position to the argument in some political circles that the South should retain the presidency in 2027, allowing the region to complete another four-year tenure before power potentially returns to the North.
Yusuf, however, said the party’s support for Makinde was not based solely on regional considerations, insisting that his perceived popularity and record in Oyo State were also factors.
“Go across the country and ask questions. You will notice that Nigerians want a new beginning. They want a leader with new and practical ideas, not theories and finger-pointing; a leader with answers and solutions, and Governor Makinde fits into the frame,” he said.
The search for a consensus opposition candidate remains one of the major political issues ahead of the 2027 presidential election, as opposition parties and political groups continue efforts to build a united platform capable of challenging the APC.
