The All Progressives Congress, APC, in Oyo State says Governor Seyi Makinde will be held accountable for any public resources allegedly spent on his bid for the presidency in the 2027 general election.
The party made the allegation in a statement signed by its Publicity Secretary, Wasiu Sadare, in which it criticized Makinde’s presidential ambition and questioned his capacity to lead Nigeria.
Makinde, who is serving his second term as governor of Oyo State, formally declared his intention to contest the 2027 presidential election in May 2026.
He initially announced his candidacy at a joint Peoples Democratic Party and Allied Peoples Movement, APM, rally in Ibadan, saying Nigeria needed a change in direction.
He subsequently emerged as the APM’s presidential candidate after the party’s affirmation process in May. The party has since begun preparations for the 2027 campaign, including the formation of campaign structures and the selection of a running mate.
In its latest statement, however, the Oyo APC dismissed the governor’s presidential bid as a “charade,” arguing that he lacked the personal qualities, experience and political strategy required to become Nigeria’s president. “Makinde knows, in his mind, that contesting for the Nigerian presidency is not a child’s play,” the party said.
The APC alleged that the governor was using state resources to pursue his presidential ambition and warned that he would be required to account for such expenditure after leaving office.
“While he does not possess the personal quality, experience and strategy to be the next President in 2027, but yet, he is parading himself as the presidential candidate of the structureless Allied People’s Movement,” the statement said.
Also Read: Makinde replaces running mate, picks ex-DSS DG
“Makinde is being monitored as he embarks on a political journey that has failed before its commencement while he would be made to cough out all the public funds he wasted on it.”
The allegation comes as Makinde’s APM campaign gathers momentum ahead of the 2027 election. The party announced recently that it would commence its presidential electioneering activities, with the official commissioning of the Makinde/Daura campaign office in Abuja scheduled for September 7, 2026.
Makinde’s political platform has also undergone changes since he entered the presidential race. While earlier reports identified Ibrahim Adamu Bala as his running mate, the APM later announced former Director-General of the Department of State Services, Lawal Musa Daura, as the vice-presidential candidate on its final ticket.
The APM has defended Makinde’s candidacy, describing him as a credible alternative to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and arguing that his record in Oyo State gives him the experience to seek the presidency. The party has also called on opposition groups to consider a broader alliance ahead of the 2027 poll.
The Oyo APC, however, maintains that Makinde’s presidential project lacks the political strength to pose a serious challenge in 2027.
It said the governor and those allegedly involved in using public resources for the campaign would be required to account for the expenditure at the appropriate time.
The party did not provide specific figures or documentary evidence in the statement to substantiate its allegation of public funds being spent on Makinde’s presidential campaign.
Makinde and the APM have also not, in the material cited here, responded specifically to the APC’s latest allegation of misuse of Oyo State resources.
With the 2027 presidential contest already taking shape, the dispute underscores the growing political battle between the ruling APC in Oyo State and Makinde’s emerging APM platform as the governor approaches the end of his tenure in May 2027.
The Guardian
