A member of the House of Representatives, Akin Alabi, has claimed that Oyo State Governor and presidential candidate of the Allied Peoples Movement, Seyi Makinde, has no intention of becoming Nigeria’s president in 2027.
Alabi, who represents the Egbeda/Ona-Ara Federal Constituency of Oyo State, made the claim during a radio interview on Flair 103.3FM, Ibadan, on Tuesday.
The lawmaker alleged that Makinde’s presidential campaign was primarily aimed at creating visibility for his preferred candidate in the Oyo State governorship election, Bimbo Adekanmbi.
He said Makinde knew that Adekanmbi would struggle to win the governorship election without the governor’s continued presence on the political scene.
“Everybody knows that Seyi Makinde has no plan to become president; he just wants to be in the conversation because he knows his candidate, Bimbo Adekanmbi, can’t contest alone. Even his gateman knows he can’t become president. He’s just promoting his candidate and knows nobody will vote for him if he isn’t on the ballot,” Alabi said.
He further argued that the APM governorship candidate would struggle to defeat the All Progressives Congress candidate, Senator Sharafadeen Alli, without Makinde’s presidential bid serving as a political vehicle for the party’s campaign.
“You can not place Adekambi with Sharafadeen Alli, and you can expect that Makinde’s candidate will win him,” he added.
Alabi’s comments come despite Makinde’s formal declaration of his presidential ambition earlier this year.
Makinde formally announced his intention to contest the 2027 presidential election on May 14, 2026, at a joint Peoples Democratic Party/APM mega rally at Mapo Hall in Ibadan.
The governor declared that he would seek the presidency under the PDP/APM alliance, saying, “Today, I, Oluseyi Abiodun Makinde, FNSE, announce my candidacy for the position of the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria under the PDP/APM alliance.” https://punchng.com/breaking-makinde-declares-presidential-ambition-on-apm-platform
He said the alliance was formed to enable the opposition to field candidates from the presidency to state assemblies in the 2027 elections.
Makinde subsequently secured the APM presidential ticket and has since stepped up his campaign ahead of the election.
In August, the governor picked former Director-General of the Department of State Services, Lawal Daura, as his running mate. Daura replaced Ibrahim Bala, who had earlier been announced as a placeholder running mate. Punch Newspapers+1
The development has positioned Makinde and Daura as the APM presidential and vice-presidential candidates for the 2027 election.
The Oyo State governor also threw his political weight behind Adekanmbi, a former Commissioner for Finance in the state, as the APM candidate for governor.
Adekanmbi’s emergence has become a major feature of the political contest in Oyo State, with Makinde repeatedly campaigning for his preferred successor.
Makinde recently urged Alli to focus on Adekanmbi rather than his administration, expressing confidence that the APM candidate would defeat the APC candidate in the 2027 governorship election.
Adekanmbi has, in turn, publicly pledged to build on Makinde’s administration if elected governor.
Alabi, however, maintained that Makinde’s presidential ambition was primarily designed to strengthen Adekanmbi’s chances in the Oyo governorship contest.
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