Oyo State Governor and presidential candidate of the Allied Peoples Movement (APM), Seyi Makinde, on Saturday stated 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 stated the federal authorities is harping on the figures to create a deceptive impression of financial restoration and progress whereas hundreds of thousands of Nigerians proceed to grapple with starvation and hardship.
The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) had in its overseas reserves knowledge stated the Nigerian overseas reserves jumped to $55.16billion as of October 22, 2026 amid a hike in international crude oil costs.
The Special Adviser to President Bola Tinubu on Information and Strategy, gave credence to the info signaling financial progress when he stated, ‘’ 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 just about in the course of 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 residing situations for residents.
Makinde on the occasion which attracted APM leaders, social gathering loyalists, stakeholders and candidates making ready for the 2027 normal elections in Lagos State and different elements of the nation, known as for a complete reset of Nigeria’s financial system, safety structure, training system and socio-political atmosphere, insisting that the nation should return to the ideas of federalism and multiparty democracy.
Expressing help for the motion’s agenda, he stated Nigerians should look past official financial statistics and assess the federal government’s efficiency by the realities of their every 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 stated.
Makinde argued that the reported improve in Nigeria’s overseas reserves shouldn’t be celebrated in isolation when abnormal residents are unable to afford primary requirements.
He likened the state of affairs 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 stated.
According to him, financial progress ought to be measured by the extent to which residents can obtain prosperity, grow to be financially unbiased and entry alternatives to fulfil their aspirations.
He stated the nation’s younger individuals should be capable to pursue their desires in an atmosphere that gives financial alternatives fairly than leaving them struggling to outlive regardless of claims of improved financial efficiency.
The governor additionally careworn that Nigeria’s political and constitutional foundations have been constructed on federalism and multiparty democracy, ideas he stated have to 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 stated.
Makinde urged Nigerians who felt that the nation was not working for them to hitch 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 direction of a greater Nigeria wouldn’t be in useless.
In his handle on the occasion, the Director-General of the Makinde-Daura Presidential Campaign Organisation, Hon. Hassan Felix, stated 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 bettering Nigerians’ residing 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 did not translate its considerable sources 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 stated.
The Director of Volunteers, Support and Special Interest Groups of the MAD Political Campaign Organisation, Dr Emmanuel Dennis, stated the motion supposed to maneuver electioneering past rallies and leisure to substantive discussions on the nation’s financial and governance challenges.
Dennis stated rising petrol costs, worsening hardship and stagnant salaries had made it more and more tough for Nigerians to supply for his or her households.
He additionally criticised the National Assembly, describing it as a rubber stamp, and expressed concern that courtroom choices had more and more decided electoral outcomes as a substitute 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 stated.
Questioning Nigeria’s continued description as the large of Africa, Dennis argued that the nation’s financial and political situations demanded basic 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 stated.
He urged supporters to work in direction of a political reset in Lagos in addition to on the nationwide degree, 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 may 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 stated.
The governorship candidate expressed confidence that the social gathering 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 stated.
He additionally pledged that an APM-led authorities can be accountable to the citizens fairly than political godfathers.
Adeoye described the incumbent authorities as one serving a choose few and known as on voters to help the social gathering’s proposed reset agenda.
Meanwhile, native authorities chairmen of the social gathering within the state endorsed the Makinde-Daura presidential ticket, Adeoye’s governorship candidacy and the social gathering’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 help for the APM-PDP alliance.
He expressed confidence that the alliance’s candidates would emerge victorious within the elections.
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