Presidential candidates Seyi Makinde of the Allied People’s Movement (APM) and Peter Obi of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) have renewed calls for opposition cooperation ahead of the 2027 general election, insisting that political differences should not prevent opposition figures from working together in the broader interest of the country.
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The message of unity dominated the inauguration of Makinde’s 2027 presidential campaign office in Abuja on Monday, where Obi made a solidarity appearance and declared that opposition candidates should be prepared to support whoever genuinely emerges through a free, fair and credible election.
Makinde, the Oyo State governor, formally launched his campaign under the theme, “Reset Nigeria,” describing the opening of the office as an invitation to Nigerians to participate in a wider conversation about the country’s future.
“Today, we are not just opening a campaign office. We are opening another door for Nigerians to join the conversation about the future of our country,” Makinde said.
The event was attended by several APM leaders and opposition figures, including the party’s national leader and 2027 Bauchi-South senatorial candidate, Senator Bala Mohammed; Oyo State Deputy Governor, Adebayo Adeleke Lawal; Makinde’s running mate, Lawal Daura; APM National Secretary, Chief Ayodele Adebayo; former Minister of Women Affairs, Zainab Maina; and former Niger State governor, Babangida Aliyu.
Makinde said the presence of Obi and other opposition figures demonstrated a willingness among opposition parties and candidates to work together despite contesting on different platforms.
He said his campaign was focused on what he described as resetting Nigeria through accountable government, improved economic management and policies aimed at reducing the hardship confronting citizens.
Makinde also used the occasion to clarify his position on petroleum pricing, insisting that his argument for cheaper crude supply to domestic refineries should not be interpreted as support for the return of fuel subsidy.
“That is not my position,” he said.
According to him, crude oil produced in Nigeria should not be supplied to Nigerian refineries at a price structure that treats the product as though it had first been exported and subsequently imported.
He argued that Nigeria’s crude resources should provide a “real and measurable benefit” to citizens and that such benefits should be reflected transparently in the price at which crude is supplied for domestic refining.
Makinde said the petroleum value chain — from crude production and allocation through refining, transportation, distribution, taxation and retail margins — should be sufficiently transparent for Nigerians to understand how the final pump price is determined.
“Nigerians should know what they are paying for, who receives what and where inefficiencies are increasing the final price,” he said.
He added that his idea of resetting the country also involved tackling corruption and compelling government to account openly for its decisions and the expenditure of public resources.
“It means that government must show its workings,” Makinde said.
The governor also dismissed suggestions that his presidential campaign lacked political weight, recalling that he faced similar doubts before becoming governor of Oyo State.
“When they say today that this campaign does not count, I do not take it personally,” he said.
“But we count. Our voices count. Our experiences count. Our ideas count. And, together, our votes will count.”
Obi, speaking at the event, said opposition cooperation should not be mistaken for desperation to acquire political power.
“What we are doing today is to show you that, for us, we don’t have desperation. We want the people of Nigeria to make their choice,” he said.
Obi described Makinde as qualified to contest the presidency and said the opposition’s priority should be to give Nigerians the opportunity to freely determine their preferred leader.
He added that whoever genuinely emerged from a credible electoral process should receive the cooperation of others in addressing the country’s challenges.
“Whoever they choose, all of us will come together to build a new Nigeria,” Obi said.
“We can’t all continue the way we are going today. Our people are hungry. Our people are poor. Our people are insecure. Whoever wins, genuinely, from a free, fair and credible election, we all want to work together to save this country from collapse.”
Obi said opposition politics should increasingly focus on competing over solutions to poverty, hunger and insecurity rather than personal quarrels among politicians.
“Let our quarrel be to feed our people. Let our quarrel be to pull our people out of poverty. We want a Nigeria where a child of nobody can be somebody without knowing anybody,” he said.
“I assure you that we remain united in our rescue for our dear country, Nigeria.”
APM National Chairman, Yusuf Dantalle, also used the occasion to promote the Makinde-Daura ticket, saying the combination would prioritise insecurity, poverty and economic challenges if elected.
Dantalle said Makinde’s record as Oyo State governor demonstrated what he described as his capacity to govern nationally.
He also highlighted Daura’s security background, saying the former security chief’s experience would form an important part of the ticket’s approach to insecurity.
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