The Director-General of the Allied Peoples Movement (APM) Campaign Organisation, Felix Hyat, gathered party faithful in Abuja on Wednesday to ask Nigerians to rally behind Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde’s presidential ambition, framing the Makinde hunger pledge as a core answer to the country’s economic and security troubles. Speaking at the formal inauguration of North-Central zonal state coordinators for the Makinde/Daura Campaign Organisation, Hyat argued that the nation stands in urgent need of fresh leadership to confront widespread hardship and violence that continue to trouble ordinary families.
The event marked a formal entry into the political calendar ahead of the 2027 general elections, with the campaign setting its sights firmly on the middle belt of the country. Hyat explained to the newly appointed coordinators that the Makinde/Daura ticket has what it takes to rescue Nigeria from its current trajectory. He insisted that the leadership question remains at the center of the nation’s struggles, pointing out that citizens have endured persistent insecurity and severe economic pain for far too long.
Grassroots mobilisation formed the backbone of Hyat’s message to the team in Abuja. He told the gathering that presidential races are not won by high-level declarations in the capital city alone, but through direct and relentless work at the basic voting centers. According to him, elections are ultimately determined by voters themselves alongside the vigilance and hard work put forward by party agents stationed across communities.
Hyat charged the zonal coordinators to carry their outreach directly down to the polling-unit level. He called for thorough voter engagement, telling the workers that they must convince ordinary citizens that the platform offers a genuine way out of their current difficulties. He assured the public that they have no reason to be anxious about supporting the Oyo State governor, describing Makinde as a decent and great person capable of delivering the stability and progress the country desires.
The campaign chief did not spare sitting political representatives, pointing an accusing finger at elected officials who turn their backs on the people once they enter office. Hyat criticised politicians who systematically abandon their communities after winning elections, leaving local residents to fend for themselves amid rising costs and security threats. He said the electorate must wake up, demand clear answers from those who have failed them, and exercise their franchise wisely during future ballots.
Hyat noted that changing the direction of the country requires genuine effort from those driving the campaign. He expressed strong confidence that the joint ticket of Makinde and Daura can win the presidency, but cautioned that victory will not come easy. Party officials, campaign coordinators, and volunteers must demonstrate sacrifice and deep commitment on the ground in the months ahead to turn their political hopes into an electoral reality.
Addressing the economic situation directly, the Deputy Director of Operations for the Campaign Council, Tony Aziegbemi, shifted attention to food security and the daily struggles of ordinary households. Aziegbemi laid the blame for worsening hunger and widening poverty directly at the feet of the All Progressives Congress-led Federal Government, stating that prevailing economic policies have pushed millions of families to the edge of survival.
In his remarks, Aziegbemi cited data he attributed to the National Bureau of Statistics, claiming that as many as 35 million Nigerians go to bed hungry every single day. While that specific statistic was not independently verified at the event, the campaign official used it to illustrate what he called an intolerable national emergency that demands immediate intervention from compassionate and competent leaders.
Aziegbemi promised the audience that a Makinde/Daura administration would make the fight against hunger and extreme poverty its foremost assignment. He declared that under their leadership, no Nigerian would go to bed hungry, assuring party members that the team is preparing practical interventions to relieve citizens of the suffocating cost of living and food shortages.
The promise to eliminate hunger represents a deliberate attempt by the Makinde/Daura campaign to anchor its platform on the basic daily needs of citizens. Food inflation and general economic distress remain major talking points across Nigerian households, where families spend an increasing share of their income simply trying to eat. For an opposition platform seeking national appeal, focusing on the dining table gives the campaign an immediate narrative connection with ordinary people who feel alienated by mainstream political discourse.
The launch in Abuja also highlights the strategic value placed on the North-Central zone by political strategists preparing for the 2027 contest. The region features a diverse voting population and has historically played an important role in deciding national contests, making early structural preparation a matter of necessity for any serious contender. Setting up zonal state coordinators allows the campaign to build an organised network of party agents capable of defending votes and organising local communities well before formal election timelines begin.
Political activity across various camps has started picking up as groups position themselves for the next race to the presidential villa. The Makinde/Daura team is moving early to plant roots outside the governor’s home base in the South-West, using the North-Central coordinator appointments as a springboard to build wider national momentum. The campaign team has indicated that it will keep expanding its grassroots drive across other zones, taking its message of security, food availability, and accountable representation to voters as preparations for the 2027 ballot continue.
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