Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde has formally declared his intention to run for the 2027 presidential election on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), news.ng reports.
He made the declaration on Thursday in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital.
Addressing the mammoth crowd, Makinde said the very fabric of the nation’s democracy is under threat as some interest groups in the country are meddling in the affairs of opposition parties.
He emphasised that there is no democracy if opposition parties are constantly being attacked.
He said, “In the past few years, we have found ourselves at a point in our political history as a nation where the very foundation of democracy is being shaken. We have witnessed the continuous meddling in the affairs of opposition parties in our dear country with the aim of taking Nigeria to a one-party system. Without a multi-party system, there’s no democracy. So where is our multi-party?”
Meanwhile, the PDP faction led by Kabiru Turaki has allied with the All Peoples Movement (APM) ahead of the 2027 presidential election.
Makinde becomes the third southern candidate, alongside Peter Obi of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) and incumbent President Bola Ahmed Tinubu of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
This brings the number of major presidential candidates expected to emerge from their respective parties to four, with former Vice President Atiku Abubakar also expected to emerge as the flagbearer of the African Democratic Congress (ADC).
