Makinde: 2027 Presidential Election Will Be Between Nigerians And APC Not PDP

Makinde: 2027 Presidential Election Will Be Between Nigerians And APC Not PDP

Governor Seyi Makinde of Oyo State has asserted that the 2027 presidential election will be a contest between the Nigerian people and the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), rather than a direct rivalry between APC and the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

Speaking during an interview on Politics Today, a Channels Television programme, Governor Makinde stated, “The 2027 election won’t be PDP versus APC; it would be Nigerians versus APC. Mark my word on that

Makinde criticized the APC-led administration for its handling of the economy and worsening security situation, saying the next general election would serve as a referendum on President Bola Tinubu’s performance in office.

He emphasized that the PDP remains the political platform that represents the interests of ordinary Nigerians and vowed that the party would not repeat the strategic errors that contributed to its loss in the 2023 presidential election.

Reflecting on the previous election, Makinde acknowledged that assigning the PDP’s three key campaign leadership roles exclusively to northerners — the presidential candidate, the party’s national chairman, and the campaign director general — significantly undermined the party’s national appeal.

He noted that such a lack of regional balance weakened the PDP’s chances and contributed to its electoral defeat. In the 2023 race, former Vice President Atiku Abubakar (North East) was the PDP’s flag bearer, Iyorchia Ayu (North Central) served as the national chairman, and Aminu Tambuwal (North West) held the role of campaign director general.

Makinde argued, “If the three major positions heading into the election were occupied by individuals from the North East, North Central, and North West, how do you expect the rest of the country to rally behind that configuration?”

He further stated that the PDP might have performed better had Atiku chosen then-Rivers State Governor Nyesom Wike as his running mate, suggesting that such a decision could have created a more balanced and competitive ticket.