Dr Eddy Olafeso, former Commissioner for Information and Deputy National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), now the South-West Coordinator of the Makinde/Daura Presidential Campaign Council of the All People's Movement (APM), spoke with KUNLE ODEREMI on several pressing issues ahead of the general election. With less than 80 days remaining before the presidential poll scheduled for January 16, 2027, Olafeso offered his assessment of the political landscape.
He acknowledged the APM but admitted he was not yet aware of how other parties were conducting their campaigns. He described a political arena filled with skirmishes and heightened public consciousness about what lies ahead. Olafeso alleged that the All Progressives Congress is attempting to distance itself from the eight years of Muhammadu Buhari's administration, noting that its own three years in power have been no better than those it seeks to dissociate from. He said the presidential candidate of the APM and governor of Oyo State, Engineer Seyi Makinde, has visited all six geopolitical zones to engage citizens on the future of the country.
"There is a strong desire to reset Nigeria," Olafeso stated, "but for the other parties, I am yet to see them in the arena. That is the usual thing they do because they are sure that the system can be manipulated, and they will do everything possible not to win the election through free, fair, and credible elections, but by manipulating the entire institutions attached to running elections in a democratic environment such as ours."
When asked whether the 11 years of APC rule had brought any good to the country, Olafeso responded unequivocally: "Yes, it is tragic."
He then turned his criticism toward international financial institutions, arguing that their agendas differ fundamentally from those of ordinary Nigerians. He contended that the World Bank and International Monetary Fund (IMF) continue to serve their own commercial interests rather than the aspirations of the Nigerian people. Olafeso pointed to the yawning gap between macroeconomic indicators and lived realities on the ground — hunger, famine, and underdevelopment — as evidence that the APC government remains beholden to foreign financial institutions.
He cited Nigeria's currency depreciation from one US dollar to one naira to approximately 1,400 naira as a particularly damning indicator. Olafeso also criticised the government's borrowing plans, noting that Nigeria already carries a domestic and foreign debt exceeding N167 trillion and is seeking nearly $6.1 billion in additional financing. He questioned the government's transparency, asking where the borrowed funds have been allocated and whether Nigerians have been consulted on the borrowing strategy.
Professor Taiwo Oyedele, Coordinating Minister of the Economy and Minister of Finance, defended the borrowing as having strategic cost benefits, but Olafeso dismissed this as "delusion," arguing that the government is attempting to borrow its way into a trillion-dollar economy without first producing anything of value.
Olafeso also lambasted the government's handling of insecurity, describing Nigeria as being at war yet treated with "kid gloves." He recounted witnessing schools without desks and chairs and noted that even basic utilities like electricity remain unaffordable for many citizens.
On the state of the PDP, Olafeso expressed deep sorrow, saying the party's legacy has been destroyed by internal divisions and co-option by the APC. He declared himself a lifelong believer in the PDP and said the party will never be the same again. He attributed the damage to charlatans who took over the party and divided it.
Regarding the possibility of a consensus opposition candidate, Olafeso said geography should not be the determining factor. He believes the best person to reset Nigeria will emerge organically, and he expressed strong confidence in Engineer Seyi Makinde as the right candidate — someone who sees the past, is present now, and can lead the country into the future.
On INEC, Olafeso stated that the electoral body belongs to the Nigerian people and must do what is right when the time comes, regardless of pressure from any political party.