National Chairman of the Allied People’s Movement (APM) and Chairman of the Inter-Party Advisory Council (IPAC), Alhaji Yusuf Dantalle, has thrown his weight behind the presidential ambition of Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde, describing him as a tested leader with the capacity to reposition Nigeria and restore public confidence in governance.
Speaking on Monday on Frontline, a current affairs programme on Eagle 102.5 FM, Ilese Ijebu, Ogun State, Dantalle said the decision to adopt Makinde as the party’s presidential candidate was informed by his performance record and leadership credentials.
According to him, democracy is fundamentally about choosing leaders who can effectively represent the interests of the people in every sphere of national life.
“Democracy is about the people. Democracy is about people making the right decisions that represent their interest politically, socially, economically and otherwise,” he said.
Dantalle argued that Makinde’s administration in Oyo State has provided practical evidence of what competent leadership can achieve.
“If you go to Oyo, you will see that he has been tested with leadership in the state as one of the largest states in this country. He has performed very well,” he stated.
The APM chairman noted that the transformation witnessed in Oyo State over the last several years speaks for itself.
“If you have been to Oyo in the past maybe nine, ten years, and then you are in Oyo now, you know that this is not the Oyo of that period. You see the infrastructure, you see the livelihood of the people, the economic stability and the relative peace in Oyo,” he said.
He further described Makinde as a youthful and capable leader whose professional background as an engineer positions him well for national leadership.
“With that performance, and a young man, an engineer, who feels he is capable compared to what we have seen around, he can steer the ship of Nigeria to the next level,” Dantalle added.
Expressing confidence in Makinde’s presidential aspiration, he said Nigerians would ultimately appreciate the decision should the governor emerge victorious.
“Nigerians will be proud that they made the right choice by electing Seyi Makinde as President of this country,” he declared.
Dantalle also explained that internal crises within the PDP and other political parties had encouraged several politicians to seek alternative platforms while efforts continue to resolve disputes in their former parties.
“The legal health of PDP and a few other parties is what it is today. In their rational thinking, they decided that they will not allow their party to die, but for want of time, they need a platform that will avail them the vehicle to pursue their political aspirations,” he explained.
According to him, Governor Makinde and several others have formally joined the APM.
“Today, Seyi Makinde is a member of APM,” Dantalle said emphatically.
He revealed that many politicians who previously intended to contest under the PDP would now seek office on the APM platform.
“All aspirants in PDP will run their race on the platform of APM,” he disclosed.
Dantalle stressed that political alliances are neither strange nor unconstitutional within Nigeria’s democratic framework.
“In politics, alliance of this nature is constitutional. It is allowed. What is important is how to drive interests within the ambit of the law,” he stated.
He recalled that similar collaborations had occurred in previous electoral cycles.
“In 2023, there was an alliance between PDP and APM and about five other parties that worked together with the presidential candidate of PDP. It is not something new,” he said.
The IPAC chairman said the arrangement has already expanded the political influence of both parties ahead of future elections.
“The ranks of both the PDP and APM have swollen beyond what they were before now,” he noted.
Addressing concerns that Nigeria may be drifting toward a one-party state, Dantalle firmly rejected such assertions.
“I continuously disagree with anybody anytime who would say that Nigeria has drifted to one party. It is not a possibility,” he said.
He argued that the existence of multiple presidential aspirants across various parties demonstrates that the country’s democratic space remains competitive.
“Today, you have presidential candidates of not less than ten parties that have emerged. Would you call that a one-party state?” he asked.
According to him, Nigeria’s complexity and diversity make one-party dominance unrealistic.
“Nigeria is too big for one party to accommodate the divergent interests and aspirations of Nigerians,” he said.
Dantalle maintained that political defections and disagreements are natural features of democracy and should not be interpreted as evidence of democratic collapse.
“People participate in primaries, they become unhappy, they revolt, they resign their membership and move elsewhere. That is politics,” he observed.
Dantalle acknowledged that significant challenges remain but insisted that IPAC would continue pursuing reforms through lawful means.
“IPAC will never be part of anything that will truncate democracy in Nigeria,” he declared.
He described IPAC’s role as one of democratic consolidation and mediation.
“IPAC as an institution is meant to deepen democracy through discussion, advocacy, intervention within the ambit of the law, and bridging the gap between INEC, political parties and Nigerians,” he said.
The IPAC chairman criticized some recent party primary elections, suggesting that certain practices undermine democratic principles.
“You see people counting delegates from one to ten to fifteen to three thousand at once, and then we are expected to be called leaders,” he remarked.
He also referenced reports of controversial consensus arrangements and alleged irregularities in candidate selection processes.
“We have seen reports of people disclaiming some of the activities called consensus candidacy, saying there was no election,” he said.
Despite the flaws, Dantalle stressed that democratic institutions must be preserved.
“We will never burn the house. We will not throw away the baby with the bath water. We will continue to work with all stakeholders,” he stated.
On the question of whether parties would participate in the 2027 elections even if electoral reforms are not enacted, Dantalle pointed out that the existing law remains binding until amended.
“The Electoral Act is already a law. The only way to change the law is through the National Assembly,” he explained.
He urged citizens dissatisfied with the political system to use elections as an opportunity to effect change.
“If you are not satisfied with the current composition of the National Assembly, vote them out and elect who you want,” he advised.
He further called for sweeping reforms to local government administration, insisting that grassroots governance remains critical to national development.
“The closest government to the people is the local government and it must be strengthened,” he said.
Dantalle disagreed with suggestions that local government autonomy should be weakened.
“The constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria is clear that we have three tiers of government: federal government, state government and local government,” he maintained.
According to him, stronger local governments would help address many of the country’s socio-economic challenges.
“Even if it is strengthened, it will reduce some of these anomalies. It will reduce rural-urban migration,” he said.
The IPAC chairman also expressed grave concern over Nigeria’s worsening security situation, citing kidnappings, attacks on schools and violence against farmers and teachers.
“It is so bad that criminality has become a norm. Criminals don’t even hide their faces anymore,” he lamented.
Referencing recent attacks in parts of the country, he questioned the motives behind persistent violence.
“Why would somebody derive pleasure in kidnapping, in killing a young man, in slaughtering a teacher or a farmer? What is their crime?” he asked.
He warned that insecurity poses a direct threat to education, agriculture and community development.
“Indirectly, there is a design by invisible hands to destroy our educational system, our villages and our agricultural sector,” he said.
Dantalle insisted that Nigeria’s current challenges require collective action from leaders and citizens alike.
“We have no other country to run to. Whatever we are doing today, all of us should look at the interest of Nigeria,” he stated.
While acknowledging that many of the nation’s problems predate the current administration, he stressed the need for urgent reforms.
“The process of destruction of this country did not start today. It did not start yesterday. It did not start with this administration. It is a process. But we have to come back,” he said.
He lamented the economic hardship facing ordinary Nigerians, particularly in the wake of rising fuel prices and inflation.
“Nigerians are suffering, whether we like it or not,” he declared.
Dantalle concluded by aligning the APM’s vision with what he described as a national reset agenda championed by Makinde.
“My candidate, Engineer Seyi Makinde, said that we should reset Nigeria. Resetting Nigeria means going back to the foundation,” he said.
He added, “Allow the electoral process to be transparent so that people can elect who they want and who they believe can serve their interests. It is an appeal to all of us to love this country.”
