Makinde urges Plateau voters to reject APC, promises tourism-led economic growth

APM Presidential candidate, Seyi Makinde

The presidential candidate of the Allied Peoples Movement (APM), Seyi Makinde, has urged voters in Plateau State to reject the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in the 2027 general election, saying Nigeria needs a complete reset to address insecurity, economic hardship and unemployment.

Mr Makinde, who is also the governor of Oyo State, made the appeal on Monday during the APM presidential campaign rally in Jos, where he presented his RESET agenda as an alternative to the policies of President Bola Tinubu’s administration.

He said restoring security in Plateau State would revive its tourism industry, attract visitors, stimulate economic activities and create employment opportunities for young people.

The APM candidate described security as a major pillar of his proposed agenda, arguing that Plateau’s tourism potential could significantly contribute to the state’s economic development if the security challenges were addressed.

“If we get security right, people will come for tourism in Plateau State. Since security is a major pillar of the RESET agenda, once we start having tourists coming, our economy on the Plateau will expand. You have jobs for our teeming youth,” he said.

Mr Makinde urged party supporters to take the campaign message to their respective polling units, insisting that grassroots mobilisation would be critical to the party’s electoral success.

“Go back to your various units. Spread the RESET message. Elections are won at the unit level,” he told supporters.

He also called on Nigerians dissatisfied with the current administration’s performance to support his presidential ambition, promising to build a country that works for citizens regardless of their backgrounds.

“If Nigeria is not working for you, then let us reset. When we reset Nigeria, we will have a Nigeria that will work for everybody,” he said.

The former governor of Oyo State also accused the APC of borrowing ideas from the APM’s RESET agenda after the ruling party adopted what he described as a similar reform-oriented message.

Mr Makinde said he had predicted in Abuja that other political parties would begin adopting elements of the APM’s proposals.

He questioned the APC’s claim that its proposed reforms would bring prosperity, asking what the government had achieved after more than three years in office.

“They said for them, it is ‘Reform to Prosperity’. They said now they want a Nigeria that will work for everybody. What have they been doing these past three-plus years?” he asked.

He accused the ruling party of governing in the interest of a privileged few and urged Nigerians to vote it out in 2027.

“Send the oppressors packing. Send them back to Lagos. Now let us bring in the team that will reset Nigeria,” he said.

Mr Makinde urged Plateau residents to support his ambition, saying his proposed administration would prioritise citizens’ welfare and create opportunities for future generations.

The party’s vice-presidential candidate, Lawal Daura, also appealed to Plateau residents to support the APM, describing the state as strategically important to Nigeria’s political and economic development.

Mr Daura, a former Director-General of the State Security Service (SSS), said Plateau had historically been known for peace, tourism and other economic opportunities but regretted that insecurity had damaged its reputation.

He said the party was visiting the state to seek residents’ support and present its proposed programme for addressing Nigeria’s challenges.

Speaking partly in Hausa, Mr Daura warned residents against electoral malpractice, particularly collecting or photographing Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) in exchange for money.

He urged residents to report individuals involved in such practices to the appropriate authorities, saying they were attempting to undermine the electoral process.

The vice-presidential candidate also accused politicians of using public resources to induce voters rather than investing the money in projects that would improve their living conditions.

He described the alleged distribution of public funds to secure political support as an attempt to perpetuate bad governance and economic hardship.

Mr Daura urged young people and women not to allow financial inducements to determine their political choices, warning that the consequences of poor leadership would fall heavily on the younger generation.

He said the APM was offering Nigerians an alternative, insisting that the party’s candidates had previously occupied public offices and had records of service.

According to him, the party’s presidential candidate was not seeking public office merely to acquire wealth but to provide leadership that would give young Nigerians and women greater opportunities to participate in governance.

He urged voters to take ownership of the political process, saying that electing the right leadership would give citizens a stake in government.

Mr Daura also criticised the federal government’s economic policies, particularly the removal of the petrol subsidy and the country’s rising debt profile, arguing that the measures had not translated into improved living conditions for ordinary Nigerians.

He challenged the government to show how its policies had improved citizens’ welfare despite repeated assurances of economic recovery.

The APM vice-presidential candidate called on Plateau residents to vote for the party, expressing confidence that its RESET agenda would offer a different direction for Nigeria.

He concluded by urging supporters to remain committed to the party’s campaign and praying for peace, progress and development in Plateau State.