Oyo State Governor and presidential candidate of the Allied Peoples Movement (APM), Seyi Makinde, has chosen former Director-General of the Department of State Services (DSS), Lawal Musa Daura, as his running mate for the 2027 presidential election.

Makinde announced Daura’s selection on Thursday at the APM’s national elective convention held at Rilwanu Adamu Square, Government House, Bauchi.

The governor said the opposition’s responsibility ahead of the 2027 general election went beyond securing political power, arguing that its priority should be to provide Nigerians with a credible alternative capable of improving their living conditions.

According to him, voters should assess political parties and candidates based on measurable results rather than campaign promises, government announcements and policy declarations.

Makinde said economic policies, for instance, should be judged by their impact on citizens’ purchasing power, while employment policies should be assessed by whether young Nigerians can find productive work and become economically independent.

He also said agricultural policies should be evaluated based on farmers’ productivity and access to markets, while the success of security policies should be measured by whether citizens can travel, work, farm and sleep without fear.

“The question before Nigeria in 2027 should not simply be: What has government done? It should be: What has changed for Nigerians?” Makinde said.

The APM candidate urged newly elected national officers of the party to collaborate with other opposition groups to build a credible political alternative ahead of the election.

He maintained that a strong opposition was essential to sustaining democracy and called on opposition candidates to clearly explain what they would do differently if elected and the tangible improvements Nigerians should expect.

Makinde also pointed to his administration’s approach in Oyo State, saying his government had focused on measuring the impact of its programmes rather than simply counting projects and policy announcements.

He identified poverty reduction, employment, education, healthcare and security as key issues that should shape political debate ahead of the 2027 general election.

The governor’s announcement of Daura as his running mate came during the APM convention, where he also congratulated the party’s newly elected national leadership and described the party as an emerging force in the opposition.