The presidential candidate of the Allied Peoples’ Movement (APM), Governor Seyi Makinde of Oyo State, has selected Ibrahim Adamu Bala as his running mate for the 2027 presidential election, completing the party’s presidential ticket ahead of the general polls.

Information available on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) nomination portal identifies Bala, 51, as an indigene of Bauchi State, giving the APM a North-South presidential ticket as the party seeks to expand its national appeal.

Sources familiar with the nomination process disclosed that the Governor of Bauchi State, Bala Mohammed, was instrumental in Bala’s emergence, having reportedly recommended him during consultations aimed at boosting the party’s prospects, particularly in the North-East.

Bala’s listing on the INEC nomination portal confirms his emergence as the APM’s vice-presidential candidate. However, neither the party nor Governor Makinde has officially announced the nomination.

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