Oyo State Governor and presidential candidate of the Allied Peoples Movement (APM), Seyi Makinde, has said four years would be enough to “reset” Nigeria if elected president in the 2027 general election.
Makinde made the statement on Monday at the APM North-Central Town Hall Meeting in Lafia, Nasarawa State, where he outlined his proposed approach to security, education, the economy and the country’s socio-political system.
The governor said his proposed Reset Nigeria agenda would involve creating a new security architecture, reforming the education sector and rebuilding the economy through the use of data, science and logic.
He also said the proposed reforms would extend to Nigeria’s socio-political environment, with his administration seeking changes aimed at improving governance and sustainable development.
“The reset agenda can be completed in four years,” Makinde said.
He argued that significant national changes could be achieved within a single presidential term with adequate planning and commitment.
Makinde said that, if elected, his administration would begin with a transitional Government of National Unity from May 29, 2027, which he said would eventually lead to “new players and a new agenda” for Nigeria’s sustainable development.
On security, the APM candidate questioned the planning and funding behind the Federal Government’s move to establish additional Army divisions.
Makinde said he had examined the 2026 budget but could not identify provisions relating to the establishment of the additional divisions. He argued that tackling insecurity required proper planning and adequate budgetary support rather than announcements without corresponding financial provisions.
He also criticised the management of the economy, arguing that increased allocations to state governments had not translated sufficiently into reduced hunger and hardship among Nigerians.
Using Oyo State as an example, Makinde said the state’s dependence on federal allocations had fallen from more than 80 per cent when he assumed office in 2019 to about 65 per cent by 2022, but later increased again following the removal of the fuel subsidy.
On education, Makinde has said his proposed reset would include obtaining reliable data on the number of children currently out of school and using such information to design targeted interventions. He has also linked the wider economic reform agenda to investment in skills, knowledge and productive capacity.
The APM candidate has previously described his broader economic approach as a shift away from excessive dependence on natural resources towards an economy driven by skills, knowledge and intensive production.
