MAKINDE EXPRESSES CONFIDENCE IN WINNING 2027 PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION

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By Aishat Momoh. O.

Oyo State Governor and presidential candidate of the Allied Peoples Movement (APM), Seyi Makinde, has expressed confidence in winning the 2027 presidential election, saying he has God and Nigerians on his side.

Makinde spoke on Sunday during a church service at the Church of Christ in Nations (COCIN), Jos, Plateau State, where he said his presidential ambition was not dependent on any political godfather but on divine backing and the support of Nigerians.

In a statement issued by his campaign’s Director of Strategic Communications, Richard Ihediwa, the governor said his ambition was driven by the need to reset Nigeria through effective leadership and tackle challenges in security, the economy, education and the socio-political system.

The statement quoted Makinde as saying his aspiration was backed by God Almighty and the Nigerian people rather than political godfathers.

He expressed optimism that God would show mercy to the country by providing the right leadership through the 2027 presidential election.

Recalling his emergence as governor in 2019, Makinde said he had faced questions about his chances of winning without the backing of influential political figures.

“When I said in Oyo State in 2018 that I would like to be governor, somebody asked me, ‘Governor of which Rotary District?’ I said Governor of Oyo State, and they asked, ‘With no godfather; nobody in politics who can stand in for you?’ I responded by saying, well, I have God the Father. And I became the Governor of Oyo State.

“This time around, we also have God the Father, and God will be merciful unto Nigeria and He will show us mercy in this country,” he said.

Makinde said his administration in Oyo State had been guided by planning, transparency and accountability, with development road maps covering his two terms from 2019 to 2027.

He added that his Reset Nigeria Agenda, prepared ahead of the 2027 election, focuses on four priority areas: security, the economy, education and the socio-political system.

Presenting the Reset Nigeria Manifesto to the church leadership, the governor urged Nigerians to hold him accountable for the commitments outlined in the document.

“I want Nigerians to be able to hold me accountable, not just through promises but through documented commitments. Everything is written down in black and white, and I am prepared to be held accountable for everything contained in this document,” he said.

He also urged Nigerians, particularly Christians, to participate actively in politics and prepare to exercise their voting rights in the 2027 presidential election.

“Please, get ready and participate. History is about to happen again,” he said.

The President of COCIN, Rev. Amos Mohzo, urged Makinde to address the country’s major challenges, particularly worsening insecurity and economic hardship, while praying for his success in the 2027 election.

Mohzo also encouraged the APM candidate to sustain his campaign, expressing hope that God’s will would prevail in his political journey.

Makinde, who flagged off his presidential campaign in Bauchi State on Saturday, is in Jos for the party’s Plateau State rally scheduled for Monday at Rayfield Park.

The Independent National Electoral Commission has fixed January 16, 2027, for the presidential election.