When you go to Oyo, you will not know that it is the same city. It is now a new city with big roads, with an airport and what have you
By Abdullahi Idris, Bauchi
Oyo State Governor and presidential candidate of the Allied People’s Movement (APM), Engr. Seyi Makinde, and Bauchi State Governor and National Leader of the party, Senator Bala Mohammed, have pledged to strengthen the APM as a formidable opposition platform, with a focus on national security, democratic governance and issue-based politics ahead of the 2027 general elections.
The two governors made the commitment on Thursday during Makinde’s consultation visit to the Government House in Bauchi, where they held closed-door talks on security, governance, intergovernmental collaboration and the future of the party.
Explaining the purpose of his visit, Governor Makinde said consulting Governor Bala Mohammed was both strategic and necessary, noting that they were the only two serving governors on the platform of the APM.
“Consulting with my brother is a no-brainer because if I have challenges, before I run to anybody I’ll run to somebody that I know is of the same stock as myself,” Makinde said.
He disclosed that security dominated discussions, saying Bauchi’s experience offered practical lessons that could be adapted in Oyo State.
“I wanted to run a few things by him, and it’s no regret that I came here because I’m fully briefed and I’m taking back with me ideas that we may want to also try out in our state,” he stated.
Makinde also said the meeting reviewed the state of the APM and the country’s democratic journey, stressing that the party was determined to provide Nigerians with a credible alternative built on constructive engagement rather than political hostility.
“We discussed issues surrounding our party and the future of democracy in Nigeria,” he added.
Responding, Governor Bala Mohammed described the visit as a continuation of the long-standing peer-review culture among governors, where leaders exchange ideas and adopt best practices to improve governance and tackle shared challenges.
“Governance is a continuous collaboration and interaction with our colleagues at the sub-national, even at the national level, to look at challenges and borrow ideas from each other,” the Bauchi governor said.
Bala Mohammed commended Makinde’s achievements in infrastructure development and public service delivery, describing the Oyo governor as a visionary leader whose performance had transformed the state.
“When you go to Oyo, you will not know that it is the same city. It is now a new city with big roads, with an airport and what have you,” he remarked.
The Bauchi governor said the APM was steadily emerging as Nigeria’s next major opposition party, driven by competent leadership and a commitment to national development.
“The APM is growing as the next opposition party that is ready and repositioning itself to give constructive opposition in the country,” he declared.
He further emphasized that the party would distinguish itself through mature leadership and policy-driven campaigns.
“We have the knowledge and the human capital to deliver if given the opportunity,” Bala Mohammed said.
The meeting ended with both governors reaffirming their commitment to deepening cooperation among states, promoting democratic values and repositioning the APM as a credible national platform capable of offering practical solutions to Nigeria’s political, economic and security challenges.