BY AHMED AKANBI
Oyo State Governor and Allied Peoples Movement (APM) presidential candidate, Seyi Makinde, has proposed that crude oil earnings above the national budget benchmark should go directly to improving Nigerians’ lives.
He made the proposal midweek while unveiling his Reset Agenda manifesto at the Congress Hall of Transcorp Hilton, Abuja, ahead of the January 16, 2027 presidential election.
Makinde was accompanied by his running mate, Lawal Musa Daura, a former Director-General of the Department of State Services (DSS), and APM National Chairman, Yusuf Mamman Dantalle.
Nigeria’s annual budgets are based on a benchmark crude oil price, with revenue above the benchmark historically saved or shared among federal, state and local governments.
Makinde argued that the country’s abundant natural and human resources must translate into better living conditions, saying macroeconomic reforms must improve people’s lives, not just government balance sheets.
He questioned the value of macroeconomic stability if ordinary Nigerians continued to struggle with poverty, poor living conditions and rising costs, describing the disconnect between reforms and citizens’ welfare as one of Nigeria’s major challenges.
The presidential candidate called for greater accountability in government spending, insisting political promises must be backed by implementation plans, measurable targets and institutions capable of delivering results, and pledged to set performance targets within his first 100 days if elected.
On electricity, Makinde urged Nigerians to demand improved power supply from the Federal Government, arguing that transferring regulatory powers to states did not absolve Abuja of responsibility for generation and distribution.
He said his presidential ambition was driven by the need to address Nigeria’s challenges and restore the vision of the founding fathers, pledging to prioritise rural communities and expand opportunities irrespective of ethnic or religious differences.
On political reforms, Makinde proposed that presidential candidates must secure more than 50 per cent of votes cast to win, arguing this would encourage broader cooperation, alongside a transitional government of national unity and a national conference to agree on a common direction.
His running mate, Daura, criticised the suppression of opposition parties and insisted a level playing field was necessary to sustain democracy.
APM National Chairman, Dantalle, said the 2027 election should be about Nigerians’ future, not party fortunes, urging INEC to remain neutral and describing electoral fraud as the worst form of banditry.