Makinde Ramps Up Preparation For 2027, Appoints Campaign DG
Oyo State Governor and presidential candidate of the Allied Peoples Movement, Seyi Makinde, has stepped up preparations for the 2027 presidential election with the appointment of a campaign leadership team to coordinate his nationwide political activities.
Makinde appointed former Minister of State for Aviation, Felix Hassan Hyat, as Director-General of the National Campaign Management Committee of the Makinde/Daura Presidential Campaign Organisation.
The appointments were announced on Wednesday in a statement issued by Makinde’s Special Adviser on Media and Digital Communication, Anthony Ehilebo.
Former Minister of Women Affairs, Hajia Inna Ciroma, was appointed Deputy Director-General, Administration, while Dr Anthony Aziegbemi was named Deputy Director-General, Operations.
The campaign organisation said the appointments were intended to bring together individuals with experience in political strategy, administration and mobilisation as the APM prepares to take its “Reset Nigeria” message to voters across the country.
Hyat, who previously served as Minister of State for Aviation and chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party in Kaduna State, is expected to coordinate the national campaign structure.
The statement said, “The Presidential Candidate of the Allied Peoples Movement and Governor of Oyo State, H E Seyi Makinde, FNSE, has appointed Hon. Felix Hassan Hyat as Director-General of the National Campaign Management Committee of the Makinde/Daura Presidential Campaign Organisation.”
It added that Hyat “will lead the campaign’s efforts to take the Reset Nigeria message to Nigerians and secure victory for the APM in the 2027 presidential election.”
The statement also described the three senior appointments as part of efforts to strengthen the campaign’s organisation and nationwide engagement.
“Hyat’s decades of public service and wide political network, alongside the experience of Ciroma and Aziegbemi, will strengthen the campaign’s organisation and engagement across the country,” it said.
Makinde is expected to work with APM National Leader and Bauchi State Governor, Bala Mohammed, National Chairman Yusuf Mamman Dantalle and other party leaders in coordinating the presidential campaign.
The campaign organisation has also created positions covering mobilisation, legal affairs, administration, communications, finance, security, women and youth coordination, monitoring and documentation.
Alhaji Hamza Akuyam Koshe was appointed Director of Contact and Mobilisation, while Barrister Mark Jacob will oversee Legal and Compliance.
Dr Ade Adeagbo was appointed Director of Administration and Strategy, while Hon. Richard Ihediwa will serve as Director of Strategic Communications.
Alhaji Yusuf Ismaila Alkali was named Director of Finance, while Dr Emmanuel Dennis was appointed Director of Volunteers, Special Interests and Support Groups.
Alhaji Suleiman Hussaini Kankia will oversee Security and Intelligence, with retired CP Babangida Ayuba John serving as Deputy Director of Security and Intelligence.
Hon. Toyin Balogun was appointed Director of Women Coordination, while Comrade Armstrong Adah was named Director of Youth Coordination.
Alhaji Umar Bida Ndabrama will head Monitoring, Evaluation, Reporting and Documentation, while Adeyemi Moyegun was appointed Director of Organisation and Coordination.
The campaign said additional appointments would be announced as preparations continue.
“Further appointments will be announced in due course. The Presidential Candidate urges all APM members, supporters and friends, as well as Nigerians who share the Reset Nigeria vision, to remain steadfast and work together towards victory in the 2027 general elections,” the statement said.
Earlier, APM chieftain Oluwaseun Adelore said the party had a strategy for the 2027 election and argued that the strategy could be strengthened if opposition parties united behind Makinde.
Speaking on The Morning Show programme of Arise TV, Adelore described Makinde as a “sellable brand” and called on opposition parties to consider supporting the Oyo governor if they were serious about producing an alternative to the current administration.
“I see the 2027 general election not as a sprint. I see it as a marathon race. October will start tomorrow. We still have October; we have November. They (opposition parties) can still come together and make headway,” Adelore said.
He added, “If indeed they are sincere about rescuing Nigeria from this pit of despair, poverty, wailing, mortality on the high rise, reeling out figures without any meaningful values, without any meaningful achievements, I think it’s the way to go.”
“If they can come together truly and put somebody like Seyi Makinde forward, we are good to go,” he said.
Adelore also recalled the doubts surrounding Makinde’s political experience before he became Oyo State governor, arguing that his political rise demonstrated that established expectations could be challenged.
“As at the time we were with him in 2017, people were talking about him as somebody that has not been a councillor. How can he be a governor? You are wasting your time. But what we saw in him at that time, he lived up to those expectations,” he said.
“He has proven over time that he’s going to be a very passionate leader. He’s extremely passionate about people’s lives around him. The people he’s governing in the state know he’s very passionate,” Adelore added.
“He does not even care to step on the toes of those who are close to him to do the right thing. That’s the kind of leader Nigeria deserves at this defining moment.”
Adelore said the APM believed its political strategy could produce another unexpected outcome in 2027.
“We have the strategy. We have done it before. When he was looked down upon, when he was underrated, that’s somebody that’s never been a councillor. And he became a governor in their lifetime. It can happen again; it will be replicated,” he said.
