2027: Nigeria’s Democracy Increasingly Constrained, APM Chairman Declares

…APM Seeks Return Of Political Power To Nigerians, Says Dantalle..

The national chairman of the Allied Peoples Movement (APM), Yusuf Mamman Dantalle, has said the party is not contesting elections merely to occupy political offices but to restore power and freedom to Nigerians to determine who governs them at all levels.

Dantalle said the party was seeking to return ownership of the political process to citizens, stressing the need to redefine Nigeria’s democracy, which he described as increasingly constrained.

He stated this on Saturday in Bauchi during the flag-off of the APM presidential campaign for the 2027 general elections.

According to him, Nigeria’s democracy has never been in such a difficult situation, noting that the APM believes in a different approach to democracy, governance, economic development and the social well-being of citizens.

“We want Nigerians to own the political process,” he declared.

The APM chairman said the socio-economic challenges confronting the country, particularly insecurity, poverty and widespread deprivation, were not isolated problems but indications of fundamental weaknesses in Nigeria’s socio-political and economic arrangements.

He expressed concern over the rising cost of petroleum products, arguing that their prices had become increasingly unaffordable for ordinary Nigerians despite being essential commodities for everyday living.

Dantalle questioned the justification for the increases, saying that explanations surrounding petroleum prices did not adequately reflect the economic realities and income levels of average Nigerians.

He also argued that government policies that deprive citizens of basic necessities could undermine efforts to tackle corruption.

“You cannot effectively fight corruption when the policies you introduce deprive citizens of their basic necessities and the minimum requirements for survival,” he said.

He further questioned the disparity between the minimum wage earned by Nigerian workers and the amount families spend weekly to meet their basic needs.

According to him, the imbalance between wages and the cost of living has created difficult economic conditions that could push some citizens into desperate situations.

He warned that widespread hunger and economic hardship could encourage criminal activities, including stealing, banditry and kidnapping, as people struggle to survive.

Dantalle also expressed concern that the prevailing economic situation had pushed some people, including those ordinarily expected to provide for their families, into criminal activities.

The APM chairman, however, commended Bauchi State Governor, Bala Mohammed, for what he described as his exemplary leadership and commitment to the structural and human development of the state.

He said his arrival in Bauchi offered him an opportunity to witness what he considered an expression of genuine democracy, particularly the visible presence of different political parties through their offices, billboards and campaign posters.

“On my arrival in Bauchi yesterday, I witnessed democracy in its true form, with political parties openly displaying their offices, billboards and campaign posters, conspicuously advertising their parties and candidates.

“This is something that has become increasingly uncommon in our present democratic system. Thank you very much for setting the pace and demonstrating what genuine democracy should look like,” he said.

Dantalle urged Nigerians to support the APM presidential candidate, Engr. Seyi Makinde, and his running mate, Daura, in the 2027 general elections, saying the party was presenting an alternative approach to addressing the country’s security, economic and governance challenges.