Oyo State Governor and Allied Peoples’ Movement (APM) presidential candidate Seyi Makinde has argued that Nigeria requires a fundamental "reset" of its governance structure rather than incremental reforms to address its deepening economic, security, and political challenges ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Makinde made the remarks on Sunday during a live political programme on Jay FM 101.9 in Jos, Plateau State, ahead of his party’s presidential campaign launch scheduled for Monday. He contended that the concept of reform implies improving a system that is fundamentally sound, whereas Nigeria’s current situation is characterized by systemic failures that outweigh its strengths. "If what you have in the system is only about 20 per cent of what you expected, you don’t need to continue tweaking it. You need to press the reset button, shut it down and reboot it," Makinde stated, asserting that traditional reforms would be ineffective in the present environment.
Identifying the economy as the foremost priority of his proposed Reset Agenda, the governor emphasized that economic performance must be measured by the tangible improvement in the living conditions of ordinary citizens rather than macroeconomic statistics. He argued that metrics such as foreign reserves, World Bank figures, and inflation rates are insufficient indicators of success if they do not translate into the ability of households to afford basic needs. "The real test of economic performance is the condition of the people," he said, adding that his proposed administration would prioritize skills acquisition, entrepreneurship, education, and intensive production to create an enabling environment for business growth and employment.
On the issue of insecurity, Makinde advocated for the decentralization of Nigeria’s security architecture through the establishment of state police. He proposed a phased approach where states would be allowed to adopt the arrangement only when they are financially and structurally ready, with appropriate safeguards in place to prevent abuse. Recalling discussions with former President Muhammadu Buhari in 2019, Makinde noted that the former president had raised concerns about the fiscal capacity of some states to fund such forces. In response to these challenges, governors in the South-West region previously adopted the Western Nigeria Security Network, known as Amotekun, as an alternative mechanism to improve regional security coordination.
Makinde acknowledged valid concerns that state police could be misused by governors to intimidate political opponents or citizens but insisted that these risks could be mitigated through robust accountability measures. He drew a parallel to Nigeria’s historical transition to self-government in 1957 and independence in 1960, arguing that different parts of the country could adopt new security arrangements at different times without requiring simultaneous implementation nationwide.
The APM candidate also highlighted the urgency of addressing Nigeria’s demographic profile, warning that the country could soon have a population exceeding 300 million, with over 70 per cent under the age of 34. He cautioned that failing to create viable pathways for this youthful population to succeed could exacerbate social instability and drive individuals toward criminal activities, thereby threatening the nation’s overall stability.
<small>Source: Vanguard News — read the original story there.</small>
