Seyi Makinde’s presidential campaign says he will defeat President Bola Tinubu in 12 states and the Federal Capital Territory in 2027, a forecast challenged by the Lagos State chapter of the APC.
PUNCH reported that communications director Richard Ihediwa made the prediction in a Saturday statement following reports of Tinubu’s provisional campaign itinerary. Independent identifies the organisation as backing Makinde on the Allied Peoples Movement platform.
The states named are Oyo, Kaduna, Rivers, Plateau, Borno, Enugu, Bauchi, Sokoto, Delta, Kano, Adamawa and Lagos. PUNCH said the campaign supplied no polling data or other evidence supporting its forecast.
The campaign blamed the administration’s policies for economic hardship and urged Tinubu to visit communities by road to assess federal highways and residents’ living conditions.
Its Reset Nigeria programme proposes a four-year transitional government of national unity focused on education, the economy, security and socio-political reforms. The campaign says it would tackle poverty through increased production, strengthen intelligence and security coordination, expand education and reform public institutions.
In a statement published by First Weekly Magazine on Sunday, Lagos APC spokesperson Seye Oladejo said contesting an election did not guarantee victory.
He questioned Makinde’s support beyond his immediate political environment, the strength of his national organisation and his ability to build alliances that could deliver votes.
Oladejo also alleged disagreements between Makinde and former allies in Oyo, urging him to consolidate his political base. He defended Tinubu’s experience and coalition-building record, saying voters would judge competing platforms on their ideas, records and capacity to govern.
Sources: PUNCH, 18 October 2026; Independent, 17 October; First Weekly Magazine: Lagos APC statement, 18 October.
Image: Seyi Makinde and Bola Tinubu. ONATISI AI-assisted photo illustration based on separate file portraits. Original photographs: Oduola Matthew; crop by WikiBunny2K1 (Makinde) and Nosa Asemota (Tinubu), via Wikimedia Commons. Original portraits and this adaptation: CC BY-SA 4.0.
Source: PUNCH
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