Allied Peoples Movement (APM) presidential candidate Seyi Makinde yesterday unveiled his agenda with a promise to train one million Nigerian youths in employable skills.
The training of one million youths is part of the four-point agenda to reset the economy rejig the security architecture education system and socio-political space if elected president on January 16.
Makinde made the pledge during the Southeast Town Hall of the Makinde/Daura 2027 presidential campaign in Enugu.
He explained that the plans outlined in his manifesto would tackle unemployment poverty and economic hardship while rebuilding public trust in government.
The presidential hopeful who is the current governor of Oyo State said his campaign team consulted Nigerians across the six geopolitical zones to develop a manifesto that reflects their expectations and addresses the country’s challenges.
The manifesto according to him will be unveiled on November 4 2026.
‘We don’t just manufacture things from the sky. We listen to our people we hear from them what they would like to see and we incorporate it into our agenda’ he said.
Makinde identified the four pillars of his proposed reset agenda as economic reform restructuring the security architecture improving the educational system and transforming the socio-political space.
He argued that sincerity in governance would significantly reduce the country’s challenges and help bridge the trust deficit between leaders and citizens.
‘To deal with those challenges 30 per cent of it will go away just by being sincere. When we take those challenges and we deal with them with sincerity 30 per cent will go away on its own’ Makinde said citing his experience in Oyo State as evidence that public confidence could be restored through honest leadership and fulfilled promises.
He urged Nigerians to reject religious and ethnic divisions stressing that the country’s problems affect citizens regardless of their backgrounds.
‘The challenges we are faced with do not know religion do not know ethnicity’ he said adding that government must create opportunities for young people to overcome hunger unemployment and poverty.
As part of his youth empowerment plan Makinde announced a partnership with Skill Research Nigeria to train one million young Nigerians in skills that could improve their employment prospects.
‘We have one million youth that we want to train on skills that can get them employed almost immediately’ he said urging interested youths to access the programme through the organisation’s online platform.
On the economy the APM candidate said Nigeria must move away from sharing revenue allocations towards expanding production supporting manufacturers and creating sustainable jobs.
He expressed concern about high borrowing costs and the lack of long-term financing for businesses particularly manufacturers in the Southeast.
‘You cannot expand manufacturing where millions are employed at 25 per cent interest rates and no long-term facility. Those two challenges we will tackle and tackle decisively’ he said citing Nnewi and Onitsha as examples of Southeast commercial centres where manufacturing and trading contribute to economic activity.
Makinde who said he had been paying salaries since entering the private sector at 29 maintained that government should create an enabling environment for entrepreneurs to establish and expand businesses.
‘The job of the government is to create an atmosphere a conducive atmosphere for businesses to thrive. And that is exactly what we will do’ he said.
He also questioned why Nigeria continues to borrow despite government claims of substantial foreign reserves and improved revenue collections.
The presidential hopeful argued that economic performance should be measured by its impact on citizens and productive businesses.
He called for greater transparency in communicating the country’s financial situation and addressing the hardship confronting Nigerians.
The governor further alleged that opposition parties had faced attempts to undermine their activities through the destruction of campaign posters and billboards and disruptions at political events.
He urged supporters to remain committed to the democratic process saying: ‘Let them pull the posters down. Let them destroy your billboards. But please have your voter’s card and your thumb. They cannot pull your thumb from you. And that is what you will use to send them away.’
Makinde acknowledged that the Southeast is widely associated with support for Peter Obi but insisted that his campaign would present its proposals to voters in the region.
‘When we were coming here we were almost discouraged. ‘Oh this is the zone for my friend and brother His Excellency Peter Obi.’ And the Southeast is totally for him.
‘We said well we definitely will bring our message also to the Southeast’ he said.
Earlier APM National Chairman Yusuf Mamman Dantalle said Nigerians are experiencing severe economic hardship and need a change in leadership.
‘We were buying fuel at N185 before Tinubu came but today we are buying almost N1400’ he said citing rising fuel prices struggling industries and worsening insecurity as evidence of the country’s difficulties.
Dantalle argued that transport support for some civil servants could not adequately address the hardship affecting the wider population insisting that manufacturers needed policies that encouraged domestic production.
He urged Nigerians to support Makinde as a youthful presidential candidate capable of transforming the country and appealed particularly to women to back the APM ticket.