Makinde Calls on South-East Voters to Reject Ethnic and Religious Divisions in 2027 Elections

The presidential candidate of the Allied Peoples Movement, Seyi Makinde, has called on voters in the South-East to look beyond ethnic and religious factors in the 2027 general election.

Makinde made this call at the APM South-East town hall meeting in Enugu, which our correspondent monitored. He stated that Nigeria's issues affect everyone, regardless of their ethnic or religious backgrounds.

In the 2023 presidential election, Peter Obi, who was the Labour Party candidate, won in all five states in the South-East. Obi is now the presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress.

While speaking to the crowd, Makinde urged Nigerians to reject any divisions based on ethnicity or religion. He emphasized that the country’s problems need collective solutions.

"Our reset agenda has four main pillars: resetting the economy, restructuring our security architecture, reforming the education system, and resetting the socio-political space," he said.

He recognized the political support Obi has in the region but insisted that his party was ready to present its agenda to the voters.

"When we were coming here, we were almost discouraged. People told us, 'This is the zone of my friend and brother, His Excellency Peter Obi. The entire South-East is firmly behind him.' But we said that we would not be deterred. We would bring our message to the South-East and give the people a chance to hear what we have to offer," he explained.

Makinde added, "My message to you today is this: Please reject all forms of division along religious or ethnic lines. The challenges we face do not discriminate based on religion or ethnicity."

"What we must do is create opportunities for our people, especially our young people, so we can tackle hunger, address poverty, and move our people from poverty to prosperity."

The APM candidate stated that his campaign team has consulted Nigerians across the six geopolitical zones to understand their concerns and include their expectations in the party’s policy plan.

He said the party would finish its manifesto over the weekend, which will be unveiled on November 4, 2026. The document will outline solutions to the issues raised during the town hall meetings.

Makinde emphasized that honesty and trust are key to tackling the country's challenges. He argued that rebuilding trust between leaders and the people could improve governance.

"Every country faces challenges. There is no doubt about that. But I believe that 30 percent of these challenges can be solved simply by being honest. When we confront these problems with sincerity, 30 percent of them will disappear on their own. We will work to bridge the trust gap between leaders and citizens," he said.

He recalled that people in Oyo State had doubts about government promises but noted that his administration worked to rebuild that trust.

"I faced this challenge in Oyo State before I became governor. Whenever the government announced plans, citizens would say, 'We have heard this before.'

"However, that has changed. We have managed to bridge the trust gap between the government and the people in Oyo State. After achieving this in Oyo State, we will, with God's help, replicate that success in Nigeria," he added.

Makinde said his government would focus on job creation and economic growth by moving Nigeria away from relying on federal allocations to a productive economy that generates sustainable wealth and jobs.

He also mentioned that his campaign has partnered with Skill Reset Nigeria to train one million young Nigerians in skills to boost their employability. He encouraged interested youths to register at SkillReset.com to take part in the initiative.

The APM candidate criticized the country’s economic situation, questioning why the government continues to borrow money despite claims of significant foreign reserves and tax collections.

"We are told that Nigeria has substantial foreign reserves and that the Nigerian Revenue Service has collected enough tax revenue, even exceeding its target for the year. Yet, despite these claims, the government still has to borrow money. How does that add up?" he asked.

Makinde pointed out that limited access to long-term financing and high interest rates are barriers to industrial growth.

"One sign of a growing economy is the availability of long-term financing. Right now, bankers will tell you that what we have are mostly short-term credit facilities for trading.

"You cannot grow manufacturing when businesses face interest rates of 25 percent and cannot access long-term financing. These are two issues we will tackle decisively," he explained.

He added that his proposed administration would focus on reducing youth unemployment by promoting entrepreneurship and creating a business-friendly environment.

"We will address youth unemployment by encouraging entrepreneurship because entrepreneurs are the ones who can create sustainable jobs. That is what we will do. We will create a good business environment across the country to help businesses thrive," he stated.

The APM vice-presidential candidate, Lawal Daura, said Nigeria must tackle widespread hunger, deprivation, and insecurity. He warned that democracy cannot survive where politics is militarized and security is politicized.

Daura stated that he and Makinde are committed to addressing the hardships Nigerians face through their proposed 16-point agenda. He added that the country needs selfless and capable leadership.

"The solution to Nigeria’s many problems lies in tackling the challenges confronting our country today. We have traveled a lot and lived in different places.

"We have seen and experienced life not only in Europe but also across Africa. We understand the challenges Nigerians are facing, and we know that no country can continue to endure widespread hunger and deprivation," he said.