The presidential candidate of the Allied Peoples Movement, APM, Seyi Makinde, has challenged the Federal Government to disclose the 2026 budget provision for the proposed expansion of Nigerian Army divisions.
Drivetvnews gathered that Makinde made the call on Monday at the APM North-Central Town Hall Meeting in Lafia, Nasarawa State, where he questioned the level of planning and funding behind efforts to strengthen military formations amid insecurity in parts of the country.
According to him, tackling insecurity requires more than announcements, arguing that any expansion of military divisions should be supported by adequate planning and funding.
Makinde said he reviewed the 2026 budget but could not identify a specific provision for the expansion of the Army divisions.
He challenged the Federal Government to make the relevant budget provision public if it exists.
The APM candidate also criticised the Federal Government’s economic policies, questioning whether increased revenue available to states had translated into improved living conditions for Nigerians.
Makinde acknowledged that states were receiving more money from the Federation Account but argued that the additional revenue had not sufficiently addressed hunger and hardship.
He recalled that Oyo State depended on federal allocations for more than 80 per cent of its revenue when he assumed office in 2019. He said his administration reduced the dependence to about 65 per cent by 2022 but claimed it had subsequently risen to almost 80 per cent.
Makinde attributed the alleged increase to what he described as the Federal Government’s economic policies.
He also compared the federal budgeting process with his administration’s approach in Oyo State, saying consultations had commenced across the state’s geopolitical zones ahead of the 2027 budget.
According to him, the consultations would allow residents to identify their priorities before the budget is finalised.
On his presidential ambition, Makinde said his proposed “Reset Nigeria” agenda could be implemented within four years, covering security, education, the economy and the country’s socio-political environment.
He also said an APM administration would establish a transitional government of national unity beginning on May 29, 2027, with the aim of introducing what he described as a new direction for the country’s development.
The party’s vice-presidential candidate, Lawal Daura, said the proposed reset was based on what he described as Nigerians’ desire for meaningful improvements in their lives.
APM National Chairman, Yusuf Dantalle, described the North-Central as important to Nigeria’s unity and development, while highlighting insecurity and poor road infrastructure among the challenges facing the region.
Dantalle also criticised the rising cost of petrol and concerns over electricity supply, urging Nigerians to demand accountability from the Federal Government over its commitments.
He asked voters to assess Makinde’s record in Oyo State while presenting the APM’s proposed agenda, which he said would include a new security framework, reforms in education and an economy driven by data, science and evidence.
