Daura calls Makinde most competent candidate for 2027 presidency
- APM vice-presidential candidate Lawal Daura says Oyo Governor Seyi Makinde is the most competent 2027 presidential hopeful.
- Daura spoke in Abuja as Northern Patriotic Front leaders pledged support for the Makinde-Daura ticket.
- He promised a four-year transitional government of national unity focused on the economy, education and security.
The vice-presidential candidate of the Allied Peoples Movement (APM), Alhaji Lawal Daura, has described the party's presidential candidate, Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde, as the most competent of those seeking the presidency in 2027.
Daura spoke in Abuja on Saturday while receiving leaders of the Northern Patriotic Front (NPF) at the APM presidential campaign headquarters, according to a statement from the Makinde-Daura Presidential Campaign Organisation.
The group was there to give Makinde an award and to declare support for him and the APM in the poll, which the campaign referred to as coming on 16 January 2027.
What Daura said
Daura said Makinde stands out on his record in public office and his background as a businessman with finance experience before he entered politics.
He challenged anyone still doubting the governor's competence to examine his antecedents and performance.
"Look at his performance. His transparency and accountability set him apart," Daura said.
He urged Nigerians to look past ethnic and religious sentiments and judge candidates on what they have done with public trust and resources.
Daura also promised that a Makinde-Daura administration would run as a four-year transitional government of national unity. He said it would focus on resetting the economy, education, security and the country's socio-political space.
The NPF president, Alhaji Ali Abacha, pledged the support of northern political stakeholders for the APM ticket. He said the region identifies with Makinde's "Reset Nigeria" message and the four-year transitional plan.
Abacha also praised the choice of Daura, whom he described as a security expert, as running mate, saying it reassures the country on tackling insecurity.
Why it matters
Endorsements from regional groups can shape how candidates are seen in the north, a key voting bloc, as parties build their campaigns for the 2027 election.
The campaign did not say how the four-year transitional arrangement would work under the constitution, which provides for a four-year term for president and vice-president.
The claims about Makinde's record are the campaign's own account. The event was reported by the News Agency of Nigeria and by The Sun, which cited a statement from the Makinde-Daura campaign organisation.
