Fresh uncertainty has emerged within the opposition Allied Peoples Movement (APM) over its 2027 presidential ticket, following the adoption of Bauchi-born politician, Dr Ibrahim Waziri, by a coalition of party stakeholders as their preferred candidate. The development has complicated speculation about a possible presidential bid by Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde, on the party's platform, setting the stage for what could become a fierce contest for the APM's presidential nomination.
Waziri, at a stakeholders' meeting, was unanimously endorsed as the group's preferred candidate for the 2027 presidential election. The stakeholders claimed that the endorsement enjoys the backing of influential party figures across the 19 northern states. The move, however, introduces a new dimension to the APM's internal political calculations, with Waziri's supporters insisting that he commands wider national appeal than other aspirants being linked to the race.
Labour Party's ideological shift
In what may emerge as one of the most ideologically provocative declarations ahead of the 2027 presidential election, Labour Party (LP) presidential candidate, Dr Chibuzo Okereke, has openly challenged the long-standing 'Nigeria First' doctrine, saying that decades of state-centred governance have failed ordinary citizens and contributed to the country's deepening social and economic crises.
Okereke, while speaking after accepting his nomination as the LP's presidential candidate, unveiled a new political creed — 'Nigerians First! Believe Again' — which he described as a fundamental shift in how government should view its relationship with citizens. According to Okereke, successive governments have spent decades asking how to protect the Nigerian state, preserve political power, and manage elite interests, while paying insufficient attention to the welfare, dignity, and development of citizens.
He said that this approach had produced a country where millions of people no longer believe government can work, institutions can be trusted, merit can prevail, or the future can be better than the present.
