Seyi Makinde has formally declared his intention to contest the 2027 presidential election, opening a fresh chapter in Nigeria’s early power struggle ahead of the next general elections as political realignments deepen within the opposition camp.
The Oyo State governor made the declaration on Thursday during a massive political rally held at the historic Mapo Hall in Ibadan, where loyalists of a faction within the Peoples Democratic Party unveiled a strategic alliance with the Allied Peoples Movement.
Addressing supporters at the rally tagged “Unity Mega Rally Ibadan 2026,” Makinde publicly announced his ambition to seek Nigeria’s highest office under the platform of the APM.
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“I, Oluseyi Abiodun Makinde, Excellency, announce my candidacy for the position of the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria,” the governor declared to a cheering crowd of party supporters, political associates and grassroots mobilisers.
The declaration marks one of the earliest open presidential bids ahead of the 2027 elections and is expected to intensify political calculations within both the ruling and opposition blocs.
The rally also witnessed the formal signing of a Memorandum of Understanding between the APM leadership and a PDP faction aligned with former presidential aspirant Taminu Turaki. The agreement was signed by Makinde and APM National Chairman Yusuf Dantalle on behalf of both parties.
Under the arrangement, candidates loyal to the Makinde political structure are expected to contest governorship, National Assembly and state legislative seats on the platform of the APM rather than the PDP in the 2027 elections.
The coalition move follows months of growing uncertainty within the PDP, where internal leadership disputes and zoning disagreements have triggered fresh alignments among influential party figures across the country.
Several politicians believed to be loyal to the Oyo governor were unveiled at the Ibadan gathering as part of the emerging alliance structure. Among them were former Oyo Commissioner for Finance, Bimbo Adekanmbi, who is being projected for the governorship race, alongside Stanley Olajide, Olufemi Ajadi and Shina Peller, who are expected to contest senatorial seats under the coalition arrangement.
The event drew party stakeholders, youth groups, traditional supporters and political actors from across the South-West and other parts of the country, reflecting the growing national attention around Makinde’s political future.
Although the governor has repeatedly denied plans to defect permanently from the PDP in previous months, Thursday’s alliance announcement appears to signal a broader strategy aimed at creating an alternative political structure ahead of 2027.
Political observers say the development could reshape opposition politics, especially at a time when discussions around coalition-building against the ruling All Progressives Congress are already gathering momentum nationwide.
Makinde, who has governed Oyo State since 2019, has increasingly emerged as one of the most influential figures within the PDP, particularly after the party’s internal crises weakened its national cohesion.
The choice of Mapo Hall for the declaration also carried symbolic political significance. The colonial-era landmark in Ibadan has historically served as a venue for major political gatherings in the South-West.
With the 2027 presidential race still nearly a year away from full-scale campaigns, Thursday’s declaration is expected to trigger fresh reactions within opposition circles and potentially accelerate coalition talks among political actors seeking to challenge President Bola Tinubu’s ruling APC.
Attention is now shifting to how the PDP national leadership will respond to the emerging alliance and whether more governors and federal lawmakers may align with the Makinde-led movement in the months ahead.
