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…targets Lagos, Oyo, Ogun, Osun, Ekiti, Ondo for grassroots mobilisation
Governor Seyi Makinde of Oyo State and presidential candidate of the Allied Peoples Movement (APM) has begun moves to position the South-West as a major electoral stronghold of the party ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Makinde, who is seeking the presidency on the platform of the APM, on Monday met with governorship candidates of the party from the South-West geopolitical zone as part of efforts to strengthen the party’s structures and coordinate its grassroots mobilisation across the region.
The meeting brought together the APM governorship candidate in Oyo State, Bimbo Adekanmbi; his Lagos counterpart, Prince Laja Adeoye; the Ogun State candidate, TPL Rotimi Babajide; as well as the party’s governorship candidate from Osun State.
The meeting was said to have focused on the need for greater coordination among the candidates, strengthening party structures and developing a common grassroots strategy ahead of the 2027 elections.
The development is significant, coming ahead of a general election in which the APM is seeking to expand beyond its traditional political base and establish itself as a serious contender in the national political space.
Makinde is understood to be targeting the six states in the South-West — Lagos, Oyo, Ogun, Osun, Ekiti and Ondo — for intensified grassroots mobilisation, with the objective of building a coordinated political structure that could deliver significant electoral gains for the party in the region.
Rather than relying on isolated victories, the strategy is aimed at creating a network of party structures and political actors across the region that could support Makinde’s presidential bid while simultaneously strengthening the APM’s candidates at the state level.
Makinde emerged as the presidential candidate of the APM after winning the party’s presidential primary held in Ibadan.
While accepting the party’s presidential ticket, he said his ambition was driven by the need to restore hope, rebuild public confidence in government and introduce reforms capable of addressing the country’s economic challenges.
He identified sectors including oil and gas, agriculture and the broader economy as areas requiring practical reforms to improve the wellbeing of Nigerians.
Makinde had earlier announced his decision to pursue the presidency on the APM platform in May 2026, following the protracted crisis and legal challenges within the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), where he had previously operated.
Since his emergence as the APM presidential candidate, the governor has continued to engage political stakeholders and groups beyond the South-West, in what political observers see as an attempt to broaden his national coalition ahead of the election.
Bauchi State Governor, Bala Mohammed, has publicly endorsed Makinde’s presidential aspiration, while APM members in Osun State have also declared their support for his candidacy.
The APM has subsequently positioned Makinde’s candidacy as an alternative political platform capable of attracting support from opposition elements and other Nigerians dissatisfied with the established political order.
The latest meeting with the South-West governorship candidates therefore represents a significant step in the party’s attempt to translate its presidential campaign into a coordinated regional political structure.
With the 2027 elections approaching, the ability of the APM to build functional structures, mobilise voters and secure competitive candidates across the South-West could determine whether the region becomes a major base for Makinde’s presidential campaign or remains a largely fragmented political terrain.
The meeting also comes amid concerns over the country’s economic situation, rising political competition and growing realignment among political parties and politicians ahead of the 2027 general elections.
