Makinde/Daura Campaign Starts Recruitment for Voter Mobilisation

The Makinde/Daura Presidential Campaign Organisation has instructed its state coordinators to start recruiting canvassers for house-to-house campaigns and polling unit agents. This is part of their efforts for the upcoming 2027 presidential election.

The order was given during the inauguration of the North Central zonal state coordinators. Felix Hyat, the Director-General, urged the coordinators to take the campaign to every home and polling unit in the region.

Mr Hyat said the campaign needs to grow from the grassroots, starting from polling units and wards. This will then expand to local governments, states, and national levels.

"This journey begins at the polling units and moves to the ward headquarters, local government headquarters, state headquarters and, ultimately, the national level. Politics is local, and our work must be localised," he stated.

He added that the coordinators are responsible for sharing the message of the organisation’s presidential candidate, Seyi Makinde, with voters nationwide.

"Our mandate is to go to where the people are and share the most important product we have in Nigerian politics today: our presidential candidate, Seyi Makinde," Mr Hyat said.

Mr Hyat also took aim at Mr Tinubu, claiming his administration focuses political power while ignoring accountability to Nigerians.

He said that elected representatives should be accountable to the people who voted for them instead of claiming to act only on the president's mandate.

"If our representatives, who are answerable to the people who elected them, now claim to stand on President Tinubu’s mandate, they should remember that it was the people who gave them their votes," he said.

He accused lawmakers of neglecting their duties to Nigerians by primarily supporting the president. He mentioned that the campaign will inform voters about this situation before the election.

"We must tell them that these representatives have abandoned them. I am sure they did not abandon the people without a reason. If they abandoned them for something, let them disclose what that is so that the people can make informed decisions," he said.

He further criticized what he called the president's claims of controlling the political space, saying this should be challenged.

Mr Hyat stated that the campaign would focus on grassroots efforts to counter the current government's influence. He highlighted the importance of polling unit agents, stating their work could significantly impact the election results.

"Elections are fought, won and lost at the polling units. Our polling unit managers and agents can determine our fate," he said.

He warned against appointing agents who cannot effectively protect the campaign's interests during the election.

"If I know that an agent can determine my fate, I must also be careful about the kind of agent I appoint. If I appoint an agent who is not capable of doing the job, I should not be surprised by the outcome," he said.

The plan to recruit agents is part of a larger effort to establish a strong presence at polling units for the 2027 election.

Mr Hyat urged the coordinators to collaborate with the party’s structures and candidates. He noted that the presidential campaign cannot work in isolation from the political party.

He emphasized that state party chairmen are important to the campaign and should be respected. Candidates at all levels also play a key role in delivering the party’s message.

He called for unity among party officials, candidates, and campaign organisers.

"That unity can only be actualised if we integrate with one another and move together as a bloc," he said.

Mr Hyat urged the coordinators to increase their efforts, stating that there is limited time before the election.

"We are racing against time," he said, asking the coordinators to make sacrifices and stay dedicated to the campaign.

He said the coordinators should spread the Makinde message within their communities, making sure people know the candidate's name across North Central and the country.

"I will return to my village and take the message there, and each and every one of us must do the same. That is our responsibility," he said.

He also encouraged the coordinators to resolve disagreements through dialogue instead of letting internal issues weaken the campaign.

"Whatever the challenges, we can surmount them and overcome them through dialogue. Let me assure you that we are available at all times," he said.

The campaign’s Deputy Director of Operations, Tony Aziegbemi, referred to the newly inaugurated state directors as "field commanders." He said they will be responsible for spreading the campaign’s message to homes across Nigeria.

He mentioned that the campaign will focus on four key areas: the economy, education, security, and the socio-political system.

Mr Aziegbemi also told the state directors to start compiling a list of house-to-house canvassers and polling unit agents right away.

He stated that the directors have two weeks to finish both tasks, after which the campaign organisation will review their lists.

"The state directors are mandated to commence the compilation of the Makinde/Daura house-to-house canvassers," he said. "Alongside that, you are directed to immediately commence the compilation of polling unit agents. You also have two weeks to complete that exercise."

As political parties ramp up grassroots mobilization for the 2027 general election, the campaign organisation aims to build a network that can reach voters directly and safeguard its interests at polling units.

Mr Aziegbemi took the chance to criticize President Bola Tinubu’s administration, accusing it of worsening poverty through its economic policies.

He mentioned that 35 million Nigerians go to bed hungry every night, citing the National Bureau of Statistics for this figure. He blamed the situation on the removal of the fuel subsidy and the floating of the naira.

"You cannot wake up and just say, 'I have removed subsidy,' and then float the naira. Every price in this country went up," he said.

"That ought to have been expected. You needed to think things through and mitigate against those events that would inevitably arise. But they did not do that."

He said the Makinde/Daura campaign will focus on Nigerians suffering from economic hardship, offering a different approach under a government led by Mr Makinde.

"We promise that we will put food on their tables. We promise that they will never go to bed hungry under the Makinde/Daura presidency," Mr Aziegbemi said.

He noted that the campaign is especially targeting Nigerians pushed into hardship despite their willingness to work.

"We are industrious people. We work hard. We are intelligent. But when you have people who cannot think things through and do things in ways you would not expect a government to do them, the vulnerable among us are the ones who bear the brunt," he said.

Responding for the newly appointed state directors, Usman Ibrahim, the Kogi State Director, assured that the coordinators would start working immediately.

He said many of the directors have experience in grassroots politics and understand the political dynamics of their states.

"We are very much aware of the task ahead. Many of us have been on the ground for a long time, although in other parties. We come from different backgrounds, and we are not new to the game either. The nooks and crannies are well known to us," he said.

Mr Ibrahim said the coordinators would depend on logistical support from the campaign leadership to meet their goals.

He said the campaign will present the Makinde/Daura ticket to voters as an alternative to the current government, especially on issues like insecurity and the economy.

"We want to assure you that when we get to the field, what we will be telling the people is what they already know. We want to assure you that the Makinde/Daura combination is what Nigeria needs," he said.

He promised that the campaign would tackle the issue of insecurity.

"Insecurity is one of the challenges facing Nigeria, but by January 2027, there will be no hiding place for those who have a hand in it," he said.

The campaign organisation announced that the newly inaugurated coordinators will return to their states to start grassroots mobilisation, including recruiting canvassers and polling unit agents.