Ahead of the 2027 general election, Oyo State Governor and Allied Peoples Movement presidential candidate, Seyi Makinde, and Nigeria Democratic Congress presidential candidate, Peter Obi, have joined other opposition figures in mobilising support around a proposed “Reset Nigeria” agenda.
The agenda was unveiled on Monday during the inauguration of the APM presidential campaign office in Abuja, where opposition figures expressed confidence that Nigerians would have the opportunity to make their choice in a free and credible election.
Makinde, Obi, APM National Leader and Bauchi State Governor Bala Mohammed, former Niger State Governor Mu’azu Babangida Aliyu and other opposition figures called for greater cooperation ahead of the 2027 election.
Makinde rejects fuel subsidy return
Mr Makinde rejected calls for a return to the old petrol subsidy regime, but proposed a different approach to reducing fuel prices through cheaper domestic crude pricing for Nigerian refineries.
He questioned why crude oil produced in Nigeria and supplied to local refineries should be priced as though it had been imported.
“If a community grows food, the people of that community should not have to buy that food as though it travelled halfway around the world before reaching them. So, why should crude oil supplied to Nigerian refineries be priced as though Nigeria does not produce crude oil?” he said.
Mr Makinde said the objective was not to recreate the former subsidy system but to ensure that Nigerians directly benefit from the country’s crude resources.
Calls for transparency in Oil sector
The APM presidential candidate also called for greater transparency across the petroleum value chain, from crude production and domestic allocation to refining, transportation, distribution, taxation and retail margins.
“Nigerians must be able to see how the final price is reached,” Mr Makinde said, arguing that citizens should know what they are paying for, who benefits from the payments and where inefficiencies are increasing costs.
He said the Reset Nigeria agenda was about ending opaque systems and restoring public confidence in government.
“The government must show its workings. Nigerians must be able to see how decisions are made and how national resources are managed,” he said.
Makinde targets grassroots engagement
Mr Makinde said the proposed political movement must go beyond politicians and become a nationwide conversation involving ordinary Nigerians.
“Reset Nigeria cannot be a conversation among politicians alone. It must become a conversation in our homes, markets, schools, offices, farms, factories and communities,” he said.
He specifically called for input from traders struggling with transport costs, farmers unable to move their produce, business owners affected by fuel-price increases and young Nigerians struggling to see a clear path to a better future.
Mr Makinde also dismissed those who have described his presidential campaign as insignificant, recalling that similar doubts surrounded his first attempt to become Oyo State governor.
“They may discount one candidate, but they cannot discount millions of Nigerians united behind a better future,” he said.
Obi calls for Opposition unity
Mr Obi urged political leaders and Nigerians to unite around the objective of rescuing the country from poverty, hunger and insecurity.
He also described Mr Makinde as qualified to contest the presidency, stressing that Nigerians should support whoever emerges from a free, fair and credible election.
“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,” Mr Obi said.
He added that politicians should stop treating one another as permanent enemies and instead work together for the country after the election.
“We can’t all continue the way we are going today. Our people are hungry. Our people are poor. Our people are insecure,” Mr Obi said.
Mohammed warns against underestimating Makinde
Bauchi State Governor and APM National Leader, Bala Mohammed, warned President Bola Tinubu and other political opponents against taking Mr Makinde’s presidential bid lightly.
“This is to show you that we mean business. Whoever disregards or takes us for granted is doing so at his own peril,” Mr Mohammed said.
He praised Makinde’s record in Oyo State, describing him as a resource manager and experienced administrator capable of leading Nigeria.
Mr Mohammed said the APM offered Nigerians an opportunity to build a new Nigeria through strategic leadership, prudent resource management and accountability.
Opposition leaders seek cooperation
Former Niger State Governor and Secretary to the Tanimu Turaki-led PDP Board of Trustees, Mu’azu Babangida Aliyu, also called for greater cooperation among opposition leaders.
Mr Aliyu said Nigeria needed to be reset and placed on a path of progress, particularly given the country’s security and economic challenges.
“We had the first opposition meeting in Ibadan. Now, we have had the second meeting in Abuja. There is a need for cooperation among all the opposition leaders and candidates,” he said.
He argued that insecurity had displaced Nigerians and undermined development, education and agriculture.
Mr Aliyu said the emerging cooperation between Mr Obi and Mr Makinde could eventually lead opposition leaders to agree on a common candidate.
APM promises issue-based campaign
APM National Chairman, Yusuf Dantalle, said the party’s 2027 campaign would focus on competence, practical solutions and good governance rather than political bitterness.
He described the Makinde/Lawal Daura presidential ticket as an alternative for Nigerians seeking improved governance, economic prosperity and national security.
Mr Dantalle also pledged that an APM administration would tackle insecurity and enable Nigerians to conduct their legitimate activities without fear of kidnapping or terrorism.
He urged Nigerians to support APM candidates and described the 2027 election as an opportunity to build a “strong, stable, united, prosperous, inclusive and just democratic society.”
The emerging Reset Nigeria campaign places everyday concerns, fuel prices, insecurity, poverty, jobs, food production and government accountability, at the centre of the opposition’s 2027 messaging.
For Nigerians, however, the bigger question will be whether the proposed opposition cooperation can translate into a credible political alternative and whether the promises made during the campaign can produce measurable improvements in people’s daily lives.
The mobilisation also signals growing efforts among opposition figures to move beyond individual political ambitions and explore cooperation ahead of the 2027 presidential election.
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