2027: APM names Bala as Makinde’s running mate

The Allied Peoples’ Movement (APM) has named Ibrahim Adamu Bala as the running mate to its presidential candidate, Governor Seyi Makinde of Oyo State, for the 2027 presidential election. Details on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) candidate nomination portal indicate that Bala, 51, is from Bauchi State, giving the party a South-North presidential ticket. […]

The Allied Peoples’ Movement (APM) has named Ibrahim Adamu Bala as the running mate to its presidential candidate, Governor Seyi Makinde of Oyo State, for the 2027 presidential election.

Details on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) candidate nomination portal indicate that Bala, 51, is from Bauchi State, giving the party a South-North presidential ticket.

A senior APM official, who spoke to Daily Trust on condition of anonymity, confirmed that Makinde had completed the submission of his nomination with a running mate.

“You cannot submit your presidential nomination without a running mate. The nomination has been filed,” the source said.

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The source, however, dismissed reports linking the nomination to Bauchi State Governor Bala Mohammed, saying the governor had no connection with the choice of Makinde’s running mate.

According to the source, the vice-presidential candidate is Ibrahim Adamu Bala, who is from Bauchi State, while Governor Bala Mohammed is pursuing a Senate seat.

“There is no connection at all. They only have similar names. The running mate is Ibrahim Adamu Bala, not Bala Mohammed. I laughed when I saw the report because I knew people would confuse the two,” the source said.

The listing of Bala’s name on the INEC nomination portal confirmed his nomination as the party’s vice-presidential candidate, although the APM and Makinde had yet to issue an official statement on the choice as of the time of filing this report.

Makinde, who is serving his second and final term as governor of Oyo State, declared his intention to contest the presidency on May 14 at a joint rally organised by his faction of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the APM at Mapo Hall in Ibadan.

The declaration followed the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding between the PDP faction and the APM at the PDP South-West Zonal Secretariat in Ibadan.

At the rally, Makinde said the alliance would field candidates for all elective offices, from the presidency to the state Houses of Assembly, and urged opposition parties to unite ahead of the 2027 general election.

On May 30, he formally accepted the APM presidential ticket in Ibadan, where he pledged to tackle insecurity, unemployment, hunger and the rising cost of living if elected.

He also promised to decentralise Nigeria’s security architecture and grant states greater powers to address security challenges.