Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde has declared that the 2027 election will serve as a referendum on President Bola Tinubu’s administration.
Makinde specifically said that the 2027 presidential election will be a direct contest between the Nigerian people and the All Progressives Congress (APC), as against the ruling Party versus Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
In the words of Makinde; “The 2027 election won’t be PDP versus APC, no, far from it. Nigerians would decide based on the various issues affecting the Nigerian state. It would be Nigerians versus the APC. Mark my words”.
Makinde, who stated these when he featured on Channels Television programme “Politics Today’ stressed that the country’s struggling economy and worsening security situation occasioned by the misrule of the APC government would play a determinant role in the 2027 election.
He insisted that the PDP remains the hope for ordinary Nigerians, stressing that the Party will surely avoid the errors that led to its defeat in the 2023 presidential election.
Taking a critical look at the 2023 election, Makinde noted that the PDP made some fundamental errors by allocating the presidential ticket, national chairman position, and the Director General of the presidential campaign to members of the Party from the northern region.
Makinde noted that the exclusion of southerners from key roles was a self-inflicted wound that contributed to the party’s electoral loss.
He said that in the lead-up to the 2023 election, Iyorchia Ayu from the North Central held the PDP national chairmanship, former Vice President Atiku Abubakar from the North East was the party’s presidential candidate, while Senator Aminu Waziri Tambuwal from the North West served as Atiku’s campaign Director General.
According to Makinde; “If the three main influential positions to take us to the election were occupied by the North East, the North Central, and the North West, how do we sell that position all around the country?” Makinde asked.
He also said that efforts made by him and few others to get Nyesom Wike as the presidential running mate was rebuffed, adding that such a ticket would have been very strong and difficult to beat.
