Governor Seyi Makinde of Oyo State and presidential candidate of the Allied Peoples Movement (APM), has met with the presidential candidate of the Accord Party, Gbenga Olawepo-Hashim, ahead of the 2027 election, with both leaders agreeing on the need for a Government of National Unity after the poll.
Olawepo-Hashim disclosed this after meeting with Makinde in Ibadan, Oyo State.
He said their discussion centred on the need for a peaceful political transition and a broad-based administration capable of addressing challenges facing the country.
According to him, the proposed alliance goes beyond efforts to defeat President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) at the 2027 election.
“We are working hard to defeat the government of misery and hardship that the government has become,” Olawepo-Hashim said in a post on his verified Facebook page.
He said the two leaders had agreed that any political change after the election should be followed by efforts to unite the country and create a stable political environment.
“We both agreed on unity, not just to achieve peaceful change, but a stable and united Nigeria through the formation of a post-election Government of National Unity,” he said.
Olawepo-Hashim said Nigeria would require the contribution of competent and patriotic citizens from different political parties and backgrounds if the country was to overcome its current challenges.
“A post-APC-led Nigeria requires the participation of the best of the most patriotic hands to bring our nation together after twelve years of the most virulent division in our history,” he said.
He added that the proposed arrangement would not be based solely on political affiliation, arguing that national rebuilding would require cooperation among people with different political backgrounds.
Olawepo-Hashim said the meeting with Makinde was part of wider consultations among political leaders ahead of the 2027 election. He also disclosed that discussions had previously taken place with other presidential candidates over the possibility of forming a post-election Government of National Unity.
“The journey starts NOW, with clear understanding amongst leaders!” he said.
The proposed arrangement, according to Olawepo-Hashim, would focus on national cohesion, rebuilding public confidence, strengthening institutions and bringing together competent Nigerians to tackle economic and security challenges.
The meeting comes as Makinde intensifies his nationwide consultations ahead of the 2027 presidential election. The Oyo governor recently began a fresh phase of his campaign with a North-West zonal town hall meeting in Katsina State.
Makinde’s campaign organisation had said the town hall meetings were part of a nationwide consultation programme covering Nigeria’s six geopolitical zones. The engagements are intended to provide opportunities for citizens, political stakeholders and other groups to discuss issues affecting the country while the APM candidate presents his plans.
Tony Ehilebo, Special Adviser on Media and Digital Communication to Makinde, said the campaign had commenced its consultations and grassroots mobilisation.
“As we continue with our consultation and mobilisation, it is imperative to, through you, inform Nigerians that we have commenced our scheduled town hall meetings for broad-based citizen and stakeholder engagement slated to hold in the six geo-political zones across the country,” Ehilebo said.
The campaign had announced that the Katsina meeting would be followed by a South-South engagement in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State, on September 25. A North-Central meeting is scheduled for Lafia, Nasarawa State, on September 28, while the South-East engagement is expected to take place in Enugu on September 30.
Makinde’s campaign has been built around his “Reset Nigeria” message, with his team saying the consultations are intended to address issues including national stability, citizen welfare, accountability, transparency in public resource management and increased citizen participation.
The governor secured the APM presidential ticket at the party’s national convention in August and later selected former Director-General of the Department of State Services, Lawal Musa Daura, as his running mate.