The Allied Peoples’ Movement (APM) has named Bauchi-born politician, Ibrahim Adamu Bala, as the running mate to its presidential candidate, Governor Seyi Makinde of Oyo State, for the 2027 presidential election.
The development was confirmed through details on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) candidate nomination portal, which lists Bala, 51, as the party’s vice-presidential candidate, completing the South-North presidential ticket submitted by the APM.
A senior party official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, confirmed that Makinde had completed the nomination process with a running mate, explaining that the submission could not have been finalised without a vice-presidential nominee.
“You cannot submit your presidential nomination without a running mate. The nomination has been filed,” the source said.
The official, however, dismissed reports linking the nomination to Bauchi State Governor Bala Mohammed, clarifying that the governor had no connection with the choice of Makinde’s running mate.
“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.
Although the listing on the INEC portal confirms Bala’s nomination, neither the APM nor Makinde had issued an official statement on the choice as of the time of filing this report.
Makinde, who is serving his second and final term as Governor of Oyo State, formally declared his presidential ambition on May 14 during a joint rally organised by his faction of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the APM at Mapo Hall in Ibadan.
The declaration came after both parties signed a Memorandum of Understanding at the PDP South-West Zonal Secretariat in Ibadan to work together ahead of the 2027 general election.
At the rally, Makinde announced that the alliance would field candidates for all elective positions, from the presidency to state Houses of Assembly, while calling on opposition parties to unite to challenge the ruling party.
On May 30, the Oyo governor formally accepted the APM presidential ticket in Ibadan, pledging to tackle insecurity, unemployment, hunger and the rising cost of living if elected president.
He also promised to decentralise Nigeria’s security architecture and grant greater powers to states to effectively address security challenges across the country.
