The Allied Peoples Movement (APM) has called on President Bola Tinubu to withdraw from the 2027 presidential race and support its candidate, Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde.

The party made the call in a statement issued on Friday by its National Publicity Secretary, Abubakar Yusuf, in which it criticised the Tinubu administration over the President’s absence from the 81st United Nations General Assembly in New York.

37 Miners: NSCDC Keeps 24 Officers In Custody

Vice-President Kashim Shettima represented Nigeria at the UNGA, while Tinubu remained outside the country on an extended working vacation in Europe. The Presidency had said the President remained in contact with officials and continued to direct government affairs while abroad.

The APM accused Tinubu’s administration of failing to adequately address insecurity and economic challenges facing the country. The party also criticised government policies including petrol subsidy removal, tax reforms and borrowing.

Yusuf cited a debt figure of ₦159.28 trillion and alleged that the administration’s economic policies had contributed to hardship, business closures and increased migration of young Nigerians. The claims about the debt figure and the effects of the policies were made by the APM in its statement.

On security, the party alleged that Tinubu had not demonstrated what it described as sufficient personal engagement with communities affected by attacks and victims of insecurity.

The APM said Nigeria needed a leader who would be accessible and fully engaged in governance, while presenting Makinde as its alternative for the 2027 presidency.

“This is why Nigerians are increasingly rallying around APM’s presidential candidate and Oyo State Governor, Engineer Seyi Makinde, a younger, energetic and experienced leader who is not only holding a record of sterling performance as governor of Oyo State but also the blueprint to reset Nigeria,” Yusuf said.

Makinde emerged as the APM’s presidential candidate in May 2026 and has since been presented by the party as its candidate for the 2027 election.

The party subsequently urged Tinubu to withdraw from the presidential contest and support Makinde “in the overall interest of the nation.”