Oyo State Governor and presidential candidate of the Allied Peoples Movement (APM), Seyi Makinde, on Saturday mentioned President Bola Tinubu led authorities is merely deceiving Nigerians with the reported progress of $55.16bn within the nation’s overseas reserves.
The governor who said this on the official launch of the Makinde and Daura for Better Nigeria (MAD) Resetter Movement held in Lagos mentioned the federal authorities is harping on the figures to create a deceptive impression of financial restoration and progress whereas tens of millions of Nigerians proceed to grapple with starvation and hardship.
The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) had in its overseas reserves knowledge mentioned the Nigerian overseas reserves jumped to $55.16billion as of October 22, 2026 amid a hike in world crude oil costs.
The Special Adviser to President Bola Tinubu on Information and Strategy, gave credence to the information signaling financial progress when he mentioned, ‘’ New figures introduced by the CBN confirmed that the Tinubu administration’s financial reform agenda is working and bolstering the Nigerian financial system:
‘’ Nigeria’s overseas reserves climbed to $55.25 billion as of September 18, 2026, the best in 18 years. The reserves are enough to finance 11.3 months of imports of products and providers. Current account surplus rose by 67.92 per cent to $7.54 billion within the second quarter of 2026, as in opposition to $4.49 billion within the first quarter.’’
But Makinde, who addressed the mammoth crowd nearly through the marketing campaign described the emphasis on rising overseas reserves as a political gimmick, arguing that enhancements within the nation’s monetary indicators imply little if they don’t translate into higher dwelling situations for residents.
Makinde on the occasion which attracted APM leaders, celebration loyalists, stakeholders and candidates getting ready for the 2027 common elections in Lagos State and different components of the nation, known as for a complete reset of Nigeria’s financial system, safety structure, training system and socio-political surroundings, insisting that the nation should return to the ideas of federalism and multiparty democracy.
Expressing assist for the motion’s agenda, he mentioned Nigerians should look past official financial statistics and assess the federal government’s efficiency by the realities of their day by day lives.
“I am with you 101 per cent towards the reset agenda for Nigeria. We need to reset our economy, our security architecture, our educational system and the socio-political environment,” he mentioned.
Makinde argued that the reported enhance in Nigeria’s overseas reserves shouldn’t be celebrated in isolation when peculiar residents are unable to afford primary requirements.
He likened the scenario to a family whose head boasts of getting substantial financial savings within the financial institution whereas family members go hungry.
“We have heard stories that Nigeria’s foreign reserves are going up. I liken it to a household where the head is telling the people that we have a lot of money in our savings accounts, but everyone in that household is hungry,” he mentioned.
According to him, financial progress ought to be measured by the extent to which residents can obtain prosperity, develop into financially impartial and entry alternatives to fulfil their aspirations.
He mentioned the nation’s younger individuals should have the ability to pursue their desires in an surroundings that gives financial alternatives relatively than leaving them struggling to outlive regardless of claims of improved financial efficiency.
The governor additionally pressured that Nigeria’s political and constitutional foundations have been constructed on federalism and multiparty democracy, ideas he mentioned should be strengthened to make the nation work for all residents.
“Nigeria was negotiated on the basis of a federalism arrangement. Nigeria was negotiated on the basis of multiparty democracy. So, join myself and Alhaji Lawal Daura in the agenda to make Nigeria work for everybody,” he mentioned.
Makinde urged Nigerians who felt that the nation was not working for them to affix the motion for a nationwide reset, encouraging its members to increase their mobilisation past Lagos and the Southwest to different geopolitical zones.
He expressed optimism concerning the initiative and prayed that the efforts of these working in the direction of a greater Nigeria wouldn’t be in useless.
In his deal with on the occasion, the Director-General of the Makinde-Daura Presidential Campaign Organisation, Hon. Hassan Felix, mentioned Nigeria wanted a change of course, citing unemployment, insecurity and financial hardship.
Felix questioned claims that the federal government’s financial insurance policies have been enhancing Nigerians’ dwelling situations, arguing that persistent hardship and the departure of corporations from the nation contradicted such claims.
He additionally in contrast Nigeria’s financial fortunes with these of Ghana, saying the nation had didn’t translate its considerable assets into prosperity.
“We want to go back to a nation of prosperity. They are deceiving Nigerians, but the time of deceit is over. It is time for a reset, and that time is now,” he mentioned.
The Director of Volunteers, Support and Special Interest Groups of the MAD Political Campaign Organisation, Dr Emmanuel Dennis, mentioned the motion meant to maneuver electioneering past rallies and leisure to substantive discussions on the nation’s financial and governance challenges.
Dennis mentioned rising petrol costs, worsening hardship and stagnant salaries had made it more and more tough for Nigerians to offer for his or her households.
He additionally criticised the National Assembly, describing it as a rubber stamp, and expressed concern that courtroom selections had more and more decided electoral outcomes as an alternative of voters’ selections.
“We know campaigns have started, but we don’t want to have a campaign where people dance and then go home. We want to make our campaign issue-based,” he mentioned.
Questioning Nigeria’s continued description as the enormous of Africa, Dennis argued that the nation’s financial and political situations demanded elementary change.
“We are not coming to rescue and we are not trying to rescue, but we want to reset Nigeria. And if we must reset Nigeria, you have to follow the person that knows the road. Follow MAD to reset Nigeria,” he mentioned.
He urged supporters to work in the direction of a political reset in Lagos in addition to on the nationwide stage, saying the motion had fielded candidates within the state to pursue that goal.
The APM governorship candidate in Lagos State, Adelaja Adeoye, in his remarks, promised an inclusive authorities that might cater for all residents, no matter gender or social background.
“We are gender-sensitive in APM. We are bringing a Lagos that will take care of everybody and not exclude anyone,” he mentioned.
The governorship candidate expressed confidence that the celebration would win the election, attributing its prospects to grassroots mobilisation.
He urged voters to withstand vote-buying, describing their everlasting voter playing cards (PVCs) as devices of political energy.
“Your PVC is the instrument in your hands. That is your power. If truly you are tired of bad governance, don’t collect money from them. Don’t let them bribe you because what they would give you won’t last you a day,” Adeoye mentioned.
He additionally pledged that an APM-led authorities can be accountable to the voters relatively than political godfathers.
Adeoye described the incumbent authorities as one serving a choose few and known as on voters to assist the celebration’s proposed reset agenda.
Meanwhile, native authorities chairmen of the celebration within the state endorsed the Makinde-Daura presidential ticket, Adeoye’s governorship candidacy and the celebration’s senatorial, House of Representatives and different candidates.
Speaking on behalf of the chairmen, Hon. Isiaka Sodeinde reaffirmed their dedication to the reset agenda and declared assist for the APM-PDP alliance.
He expressed confidence that the alliance’s candidates would emerge victorious within the elections.
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