Presidential candidate of the Allied Peoples Movement (APM), Seyi Makinde, has challenged the Federal Government to disclose the 2026 budget provision for the expansion of Army divisions, questioning the planning and funding behind the initiative.

Makinde said tackling insecurity required more than announcements, stressing that any expansion of military formations must be backed by adequate planning and funding.

Speaking on Monday at the APM North-Central Town Hall Meeting in Lafia, Nasarawa State, he said he searched the 2026 budget for provisions relating to the planned expansion but could not find any.

“I was looking at the budget for 2026. I was looking for the item in that budget relating to the expansion of those army divisions. I did not see it,” he said.

“If they have it in the budget that they prepared for 2026, let them bring it out. So, you cannot just wake up and say, without any plan, I am setting up or expanding army divisions to tackle insecurity. There has to be a lot of planning that will go into this.”

Makinde also criticised the Federal Government’s economic policies, arguing that increased allocations to states had not translated into sufficient relief from hunger and hardship.

He said Oyo State depended on federal allocations for more than 80 per cent of its revenue when he assumed office in 2019, adding that his administration reduced the dependence to 65 per cent by 2022.

According to him, the figure has since risen to almost 80 per cent, which he attributed to what he described as the Federal Government’s “voodoo economy”.

“Yes, we have more money, but has it translated to fighting hunger in our society? The answer is no,” Makinde said.

He contrasted his administration’s approach to budget preparation with that of the Federal Government, saying consultations with residents across Oyo State’s geopolitical zones had commenced ahead of the 2027 budget to identify their priorities.

On his presidential bid, 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 promised that an APM administration would establish a transitional government of national unity from May 29, 2027, which he said would pave the way for “new players and a new agenda for Nigeria’s sustainable development.”

The APM vice-presidential candidate, Lawal Daura, said the party’s proposed reset was driven by Nigerians’ desire for tangible improvements in their lives.

APM National Chairman, Yusuf Dantalle, described the North-Central as critical to Nigeria’s unity and development, citing insecurity and poor roads among the region’s major challenges.

He also criticised the rising cost of petrol and electricity, while urging Nigerians to hold the Federal Government accountable for its promises on power supply.