2027: APM Names Ibrahim Bala as Running Mate to Makinde for Presidential Election

The Allied Peoples’ Movement (APM) has officially named Ibrahim Adamu Bala as the running mate to its presidential candidate, Governor Seyi Makinde of Oyo State, ahead of the 2027 presidential election.

Details published on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) candidate nomination portal confirmed Bala’s nomination. At 51, Bala hails from Bauchi State, giving the party a South-North presidential ticket.

A senior APM official, speaking on condition of anonymity, explained that Makinde had completed the submission of his nomination with Bala as his vice-presidential candidate. “You cannot submit your presidential nomination without a running mate. The nomination has been filed,” the source said.

The official dismissed speculation linking the choice to Bauchi State Governor Bala Mohammed, clarifying that the vice-presidential candidate is Ibrahim Adamu Bala, not Mohammed. “There is no connection at all. They only have similar names. The running mate is Ibrahim Adamu Bala, not Bala Mohammed. I laughed when I saw the report because I knew people would confuse the two,” the source added.

Makinde, currently serving his second and final term as governor of Oyo State, declared his presidential ambition on May 14 at a joint rally organised by his faction of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the APM at Mapo Hall in Ibadan. The declaration followed a Memorandum of Understanding signed between the PDP faction and the APM at the PDP South-West Zonal Secretariat.

On May 30, Makinde formally accepted the APM presidential ticket, pledging to tackle insecurity, unemployment, hunger, and the rising cost of living if elected. He also promised to decentralise Nigeria’s security architecture, granting states greater powers to address local challenges.

The confirmation of Bala’s nomination on the INEC portal cements the Makinde-Bala ticket, positioning the APM to contest the presidency with a South-North balance as the 2027 general elections draw closer.

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