Makinde Officially Declares 2027 Presidential Bid: ‘Time to Reset Nigeria’

Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde on Thursday officially declared his intention to run for president in 2027, announcing his candidacy at a packed rally in Ibadan that drew thousands of supporters and political allies from across the country.

“The time to reset Nigeria is now. Therefore, today, I, Oluseyi Abiodun Makinde, announce my candidacy for the position of the president of the Federal Republic of Nigeria,” Makinde told the crowd at Mapo Hall in Ibadan South-East Local Government Area.

APM platform, not PDP

In a notable development, Makinde is entering the race under the Allied Peoples Movement (APM) — not the Peoples Democratic Party where he has served as governor since 2019. Punch confirmed the declaration was made under the APM banner. The event, tagged the Unity Mega Rally Ibadan 2026, also served as the public launch of a formal alliance between APM and the Taminu Turaki-led PDP faction in Oyo State.

The rally presented candidates contesting state and federal seats under the APM platform. Former Oyo State Finance Commissioner Bimbo Adekanmbi was named as the party’s governorship candidate. Senatorial candidates Stanley Olajide, Olufemi Ajadi, and Shina Peller were also presented.

The opposition field takes shape

Makinde’s entry makes him one of the more prominent faces in a growing opposition lineup for 2027. Labour Party’s Peter Obi has already signalled his intention to run for a second time. Sokoto State Governor Ahmad Aliyu is another name circulating. With Makinde now formally in, the opposition race has three credible governors or former governors jostling for position well ahead of primaries.

For Makinde, the declaration comes as he wraps up his second term in Oyo State — having won re-election in 2023 — with a political coalition he has been building for months. Whether an APM platform can carry a national presidential campaign, against both an incumbent APC and a fragmented opposition field, is the central question his camp will need to answer.

The Ibadan rally is his opening answer. It was packed. Whether that translates nationally remains to be seen.

Sources: TheCable, Premium Times, Pulse Nigeria, Punch