Makinde: Foreign Reserves, Inflation Figures Do Not Feed Nigerians, Nigeria Needs A Reset, Not Reforms

The presidential candidate of the Allied Peoples Movement, Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde, has said Nigeria needs a complete reset rather than mere reforms to address its economic, security and governance challenges ahead of the 2027 general elections.

The declaration was made on Sunday during a live political programme on Jay FM 101.9 in Jos, Plateau State, ahead of the party’s presidential campaign flag-off scheduled for Monday, ValidViewNetwork reports.

THE ARGUMENT

Makinde was direct about why he believes reform is insufficient.

“When you talk about reform, it means that there is something good in the system that you want to improve upon. But when the bad outweighs the good, you need to take a different course of action,” he said. “If what you have in the system is only about 20 per cent of what you expected, you don’t need to continue tweaking it. You need to press the reset button, shut it down and reboot it. That is what Nigeria needs at this point. Reform will not work in the present environment.”

He said he did not initially intend to become a politician but was motivated by concerns about the country’s future.

“I am not a career politician. I came into politics because I believe that the future of millions of Nigerians is at stake. We have the potential to become the greatest Black nation on the face of the earth, but we must make the right decisions to achieve that destiny,” he said.

THE ECONOMIC FOCUS

On the economy, Makinde said economic performance should be measured by improvements in the living conditions of ordinary Nigerians, not by statistical indicators.

“The economy must work for everybody. We should not just be talking about foreign reserves, World Bank figures or inflation statistics. What matters is whether ordinary Nigerians can afford to feed themselves and meet their basic needs,” he said. “If the people on the streets are not feeling any improvement, then we cannot say that the economy is doing well. The real test of economic performance is the condition of the people.”

He said his administration would prioritise skills acquisition, entrepreneurship, education and production, while creating an enabling environment for businesses to grow and generate employment.

THE SECURITY QUESTION

Makinde advocated decentralising Nigeria’s security architecture through the establishment of state police, arguing that states should be allowed to adopt the arrangement when they are ready and necessary safeguards are in place.

“I believe that we need to decentralise our security architecture. State police is one of the ways to achieve this, but it must be properly structured. States that are ready should be allowed to establish their own police formations, while others can come on board when they are prepared,” he said.

He acknowledged concerns that state police could be abused by governors to intimidate political opponents but insisted that appropriate safeguards could address such risks.

“We must not pretend that there are no concerns. Some people are worried that governors could use state police to oppress their opponents or intimidate citizens. Those concerns are valid, and we must put safeguards in place. But the fact that something can be abused does not mean we should not do it. We must design a system that ensures accountability and protects the rights of the people,” he said.

Why It Matters

Makinde’s message is a direct challenge to the political establishment.

He is not arguing for incremental change. He is arguing that the system itself is broken, and that tinkering with it will not solve Nigeria’s problems.

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His call for a reset, a complete reboot of the economic, security and governance architectur, is a radical proposition in a country where successive administrations have promised reforms that never materialised.

Whether Nigerians are ready for a reset, or whether they will settle for another round of reforms, is the question that will define the 2027 election. Makinde has made his position clear. The reset button is waiting. ValidViewNetwork reports.