The internal crisis rocking the Allied Peoples Movement (APM) has deepened as the party’s state chairmen, governorship candidates and National Assembly candidates in the South-South geopolitical zone reportedly boycotted the party’s presidential town hall meeting and passed a vote of no confidence in its presidential candidate, Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde.
The aggrieved party leaders accused Makinde of failing to recognise established party structures and consult stakeholders adequately in the coordination and direction of his presidential campaign ahead of the 2027 general elections.
In a joint statement signed by Dagogo C. White, Rivers State Chairman; Hon. Pst. Mrs. Peace Oruama, Bayelsa State Chairman; Uduak Akannyene Edet, Akwa Ibom State Chairman; Uglagbe Charlse Ogieriakhi, Edo State Chairman; Prince Henry J. E. Eze (JP), Delta State Chairman; and Ntami Nkan Ezege, Cross River State Chairman, the leaders expressed dissatisfaction with what they described as the marginalisation of the party’s established structures.
The signatories alleged that Makinde had appointed coordinators for his presidential campaign across the 36 states from outside the party’s existing structures, claiming that the appointees were not card-carrying members of the APM.
They argued that the development undermined the contributions of party members who had invested their time, resources and political influence in building the party across the country.
According to the statement, the APM is an institution governed by its constitution, established procedures and recognised leadership structures, which must be respected by every member, including the presidential candidate.
The leaders insisted that Makinde must maintain constructive relationships with the party’s national, zonal, state, local government and ward structures, stressing that the party hierarchy should not be treated as an appendage to an individual’s political ambition.
They described their decision to pass a vote of no confidence in Makinde as necessary to protect the unity, survival and institutional integrity of the party.
The statement added that the South-South leaders would not allow individuals they described as political actors to undermine the party structures they had worked hard to establish across the Niger Delta region.
Despite their grievances against the presidential candidate, the party leaders expressed confidence in the National Working Committee (NWC), led by the National Chairman, Alhaji Yusuf Mamman Dantalle.
They commended Dantalle’s leadership and urged the NWC to continue strengthening the party and positioning it for the 2027 general elections.
The signatories also passed a vote of confidence in the party’s national leader and Bauchi State Governor, Senator Bala Mohammed, whom they commended for his leadership.
The South-South chairmen further disclosed that they would reconvene at an appropriate time to decide their position on the presidential election, leaving open the question of their future support for Makinde’s candidacy.
They maintained that their position was driven by the need to protect the party’s institutional interests, accountability and internal democracy as preparations for the 2027 general elections gather momentum.
