Bala Mohammed Says Nigeria Needs Knowledge, Strategic Planning and Purposeful Leadership
…Makinde Promises Prosperity, Raises Alarm Over Alleged Threat to Multiparty Democracy
By Abdulwahab Muhammad, SSA Communication to the Governor of Bauchi State
AKURE, ONDO STATE — Bauchi State Governor and National Leader of the Allied Peoples Movement (APM), Senator Bala Abdulkadir Mohammed, has joined the party’s presidential candidate, Engr. Seyi Makinde, and other top political leaders in Akure, Ondo State, in a renewed political mobilisation drive ahead of the 2027 general elections, as the opposition party challenged the Federal Government’s economic direction and raised concerns over alleged attempts to undermine Nigeria’s multiparty democracy.
The high-profile South-West Townhall Meeting, which also brought together the party’s vice-presidential candidate, Alhaji Lawal Daura; National Chairman, Alhaji Yusuf Mamman Dantalle; and prominent party stakeholders and supporters from across the region, provided a platform for the APM to present its presidential ticket, strengthen regional consultations and promote its Reset Nigeria Agenda, with economic prosperity, strategic leadership and democratic consolidation at the centre of its proposals.
Addressing the gathering, Governor Bala Mohammed declared that Nigeria’s mounting socioeconomic and political challenges required more than campaign promises, stressing that sustainable national development must be anchored on knowledge, strategic planning, informed decisions and purposeful leadership.
The Governor maintained that the APM represented a political platform driven by planning, tact and a clear understanding of the country’s development priorities, describing its leadership as a combination of youthful energy, political experience and forward-looking ideas.
According to him, although the party and its presidential candidate represented a relatively younger political force, their vision for Nigeria was rooted in knowledge, careful assessment of national realities and a determination to pursue practical solutions to the country’s challenges.
He explained that the party understood its political origins, recognised the difficulties confronting Nigerians and possessed a clear sense of the direction it intended to take the country.
Governor Mohammed urged Nigerians to look beyond conventional political considerations and critically examine the programmes, policy proposals and leadership capacity of those seeking to govern the country.
His remarks reinforced the party’s central message that Nigeria’s development challenges must be addressed through deliberate planning, competence and a coherent national agenda rather than political rhetoric.
Makinde: Leadership Must Be Measured by Competence, Not Age
Speaking on the country’s leadership question, the APM presidential candidate, Engr. Seyi Makinde, argued that the national conversation should move beyond the age of political contenders to focus on their energy, ideas, competence and capacity to deliver meaningful results.
Makinde maintained that effective leadership should be measured by the ability to understand national challenges, formulate workable solutions and translate policy commitments into tangible improvements in citizens’ living conditions.
Drawing a historical parallel with the 1999 presidential election, he recalled that Nigerians had previously been presented with two leading presidential candidates from the South-West, noting what he described as a similar regional political dynamic in the emerging electoral contest.
He, however, placed emphasis on the broader question of leadership quality, insisting that the country’s future depended on the strength of ideas and the capacity of political leaders to deliver sustainable development.
APM Unveils Economic Prosperity Agenda, Questions Federal Budget Priorities
Turning to the economy, Makinde questioned the clarity and direction of the Federal Government’s budgetary framework, raising concerns about whether existing fiscal priorities adequately addressed the economic difficulties facing ordinary Nigerians.
He argued that Nigeria required an economic strategy capable of expanding productive opportunities, encouraging enterprise, stimulating growth and creating conditions for broader prosperity.
The presidential candidate explained that the APM’s Reset Nigeria Agenda was designed to shift the country’s economic conversation from the management of poverty to the creation of wealth and sustainable prosperity.
He stressed that the party intended to pursue policies aimed at expanding economic opportunities and improving living standards, placing the welfare and economic advancement of Nigerians at the centre of its proposed national programme.
According to Makinde, the challenge before the country was not merely to manage existing economic difficulties but to establish a development framework that would enable more Nigerians to participate meaningfully in wealth creation.
He presented economic expansion and improved prosperity as essential priorities of the APM’s proposed approach to governance, arguing that public policy should create opportunities for citizens rather than perpetuate conditions of economic deprivation.
Makinde Warns Against Alleged Moves Towards One-Party Rule
Beyond the economy, Makinde expressed concern about the country’s political environment, alleging that the ruling party was employing indirect political manoeuvres to weaken opposition parties and reduce the space for meaningful democratic competition.
He warned that such developments, if allowed to continue, could create conditions favourable to the emergence of a one-party political system, which he argued would undermine Nigeria’s democratic progress.
The APM presidential candidate underscored the importance of preserving political pluralism, maintaining credible opposition platforms and protecting the right of Nigerians to choose among competing political alternatives.
He maintained that democracy could only remain meaningful where political parties were able to organise freely, present alternative policies and compete for public support without undue interference.
Makinde’s concerns formed part of the wider political discussions at the townhall, where the party sought to present itself as an alternative platform committed to democratic competition, economic opportunity and accountable leadership.
Akure Townhall Strengthens APM’s Nationwide Political Consultations
The Akure gathering also highlighted the APM’s efforts to deepen engagement with stakeholders across Nigeria’s geopolitical zones as political activities gradually intensify ahead of the 2027 general elections.
The South-West consultation followed an earlier South-South engagement in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State, extending the party’s regional outreach and providing another opportunity for its leadership to communicate its vision directly to supporters and other participants.
Through the townhall meetings, the APM is seeking to build public awareness of its presidential ticket, explain the policy priorities of its Reset Nigeria Agenda and encourage national conversations around governance, economic development and democratic accountability.
Governor Bala Mohammed’s participation in the Akure meeting further underscored his involvement in the party’s ongoing political engagements and his emphasis on knowledge-driven leadership as a foundation for national development.
The gathering brought together the party’s presidential and vice-presidential candidates, national leadership and regional stakeholders around a shared message of economic renewal, political competition and strategic governance.
As the race towards the 2027 general elections gathers momentum, the APM’s emerging campaign message is centred on its pledge to pursue economic prosperity, strengthen democratic institutions and offer Nigerians what it describes as a clearer and more purposeful direction for national development.
The Akure townhall therefore marked another stage in the party’s regional consultations, with its leadership seeking to translate the Reset Nigeria Agenda into broader political engagement and public support ahead of the next presidential election.
Published by Alphapressmedia.com
Politics | Governance | Democracy | National Development
