The presidential candidate of the Allied People’s Movement (APM), Seyi Makinde, has rejected a return to the old petrol subsidy regime, proposing instead a new pricing framework that would give Nigerians a direct benefit from the country’s crude oil through cheaper domestic supply to refineries.
Makinde, who spoke on Monday at the commissioning of the Makinde/Daura Presidential Campaign Headquarters in Abuja, said Nigeria’s status as an oil-producing country should be reflected in the price of crude supplied to local refineries.
Clarifying his recent comments on petrol pricing, the Oyo State governor said his proposal should not be mistaken for a call to restore the former subsidy system...READ THE FULL ARTICLE HERE .
“That is not my position,” Makinde said, stressing that the benefit of Nigeria’s oil wealth should be incorporated into the petroleum pricing system from the point at which crude is supplied for domestic refining.
“My question is, why should crude oil supplied to Nigerian refineries be priced as though Nigeria does not produce crude oil?” he asked.
He argued that domestic crude should be priced in a manner that lowers the underlying cost of refined petroleum products, rather than relying on an opaque intervention at the pump after refining, transportation, distribution and other costs had accumulated.
Makinde also demanded greater transparency across the petroleum value chain, from crude production and domestic allocation to refining, transportation, distribution, taxation and retailing.
“Nigerians should know what they are paying for, who receives what, and where inefficiencies are increasing the final price,” he said, adding that he had consistently made the case at the National Economic Council.
According to him, the proposed framework is part of his “Reset Nigeria” agenda, which seeks to make government more transparent and ensure that the country’s natural resources translate into tangible benefits for citizens.
“Reset Nigeria means we stop accepting systems that nobody can explain. If they explain, we can contribute,” he said.
Makinde said the campaign would also seek to broaden political participation by making the proposed reset a national conversation involving traders, farmers, workers, business owners and young Nigerians affected by rising costs and declining economic opportunities.
He dismissed suggestions that his presidential ambition lacked electoral prospects, recalling that political forces had similarly underestimated his chances when he first sought to become governor of Oyo State.
“They may discount one candidate, whether myself or Governor Peter Obi; they may discount us. They may say, ‘These people don’t mean anything.’ But they cannot discount millions of Nigerians united behind a better future,” he said.
Makinde urged Nigerians to question the party’s proposals, contribute their ideas and participate in the campaign, saying the country needed a government that was transparent, accountable and committed to using public resources for the benefit of citizens.
“This is our country. These are our resources. We count. And together, we will reset Nigeria,” he said.
Former Anambra State Governor Peter Obi, who appeared at the event to the surprise of the organisers, backed Makinde’s presidential ambition, saying he was qualified to contest the 2027 election.
Obi said opposition politicians should not approach the election in desperation but should allow Nigerians to choose freely among candidates and work together regardless of the outcome.
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“Yes, Seyi Makinde is qualified to contest for President. We want the people of Nigeria to make their choice. Whoever they choose, all of us will come together to build a new Nigeria,” Obi said.
He said Nigeria could no longer continue on its current path, citing hunger, poverty and insecurity, and called for a political culture focused on solving those problems rather than perpetuating divisions.
“Whoever wins, genuinely, from a free, fair and credible election, we all want to work together to save this country from collapse,” he said.
He said political differences should give way to a common commitment to improving the lives of Nigerians.
“Let our quarrel be to feed our people. Let our quarrel be to pull our people out of poverty. We want a Nigeria where a child of nobody can be somebody without knowing anybody,” Obi said, advocating a country where citizens can succeed without political connections.
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Former Niger State Governor Aliyu Babangida, who said he represented the ‘legitimate Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) at the event, also called for greater cooperation among opposition parties, saying they should be prepared, when necessary, to rally behind a common candidate.
He argued that security must be addressed as a priority because economic development, agriculture and education could not thrive without the protection of lives and property.
He also supported the argument that the South should produce the president in 2027 after eight years of northern presidency.
The Director-General of the Inter-Party Advisory Council (IPAC) and National Chairman of the National Rescue Movement (NRM), Chinedu Obi, said Peter Obi’s presence at the event showed that opposition parties were not as divided as portrayed.
“We are not divided against poverty. We are not divided against insecurity. We need to unite to fight for our country,” he said.
The Vice-Presidential candidate of the Allied Peoples Movement (APM), Mamman Daura, has described the party’s presidential candidate, Seyi Makinde, as one of the best human resources Nigeria has produced at both the sub-national and national levels.
He said APM would focus on effective planning, resource deployment and accountability if elected.
Daura said the party’s presidential ticket was zoned to the South in line with its commitment to fairness and rotation, while its campaign would be guided by the principle of “Nigeria First.”
He said the party’s objective was to build a country where citizens could realise their potential.
APM National Chairman Yusuf Mamman Dantalle described the commissioning as the beginning of the party’s campaign to win the 2027 presidential election.
He said the Makinde/Daura ticket offered Nigerians an alternative based on competent, accountable leadership, and urged voters to support APM candidates across the country.
