2027: APM’s National Structure Comes Under Scrutiny as Makinde Pushes Presidential Bid
2027: APM’s National Structure Comes Under Scrutiny as Makinde Pushes Presidential Bid
By Akin Alade
The political debate around Seyi Makinde’s 2027 presidential ambition is shifting from declarations to organisation, with the Allied Peoples Movement (APM) facing questions over its nationwide structure and capacity to prosecute a presidential campaign.
The latest challenge came from the Senator Sharafadeen Alli Campaign Organisation (SSACO), which asked APM to demonstrate its electoral presence across the federation and the Federal Capital Territory before presenting Makinde as a serious presidential contender. The group was reacting to APM’s call for President Bola Tinubu to step aside for Makinde ahead of the 2027 election.
The argument places political organisation at the centre of the emerging 2027 contest. SSACO said declaring a presidential ambition was different from building the structures required to contest elections nationwide, and challenged APM to show the extent of its organisation across the country.
APM, however, has already begun efforts aimed at expanding its national campaign footprint. The party announced a series of presidential campaign zonal town hall meetings covering the six geopolitical zones, with engagements scheduled in Katsina, Uyo, Lafia and Enugu among other locations.
The party has also positioned Makinde’s candidacy around its proposed “Reset Nigeria Agenda”, with issues including the economy, education, security and governance featuring prominently in the campaign message. Makinde has framed the 2027 election as a contest between the APC and Nigerians rather than simply a conventional party-versus-party contest.
For the Makinde campaign, therefore, the coming months will provide an opportunity to demonstrate whether the APM’s growing political activities can translate into an electoral organisation capable of competing beyond Oyo State. The party’s campaign has already established a national coordinating structure and commenced activities ahead of the election.
The controversy also brings Oyo politics into the national conversation. While Alli’s campaign has argued that Makinde should demonstrate political strength in his home state before seeking the presidency, that remains a political claim by the campaign organisation rather than an independently established measure of presidential viability. The competing sides are now placing different emphasis on local political strength, national organisation and policy platforms as the 2027 contest develops.
With the presidential race taking shape, the question surrounding APM is increasingly practical: how far can the party expand its structures, field candidates and mobilise voters across Nigeria before the election? The answer will become clearer as its zonal engagements, campaign structures and wider electoral preparations progress.
