Teslim Folarin backs Sharafadeen Alli for Oyo governor in 2027, pledging to reconcile aggrieved APC leaders and support Tinubu and other party candidates.
Former Senate Leader Teslim Folarin has expressed support for Senator Sharafadeen Alli, the All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship candidate in Oyo State, while calling for greater unity among party members ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Folarin made his position known on Monday when Alli visited him at his residence in Ibadan.
During the meeting, he acknowledged the disagreements within the Oyo APC but said he was prepared to move forward, stressing that the party could not afford to allow its internal differences to undermine its preparations for the next elections.
He also expressed confidence that previously aggrieved party leaders would eventually join the reconciliation process and work towards the success of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Alli and other APC candidates in Oyo State.
Speaking in Yoruba to Alli and the supporters who accompanied him, Folarin explained that the grievances within the party were real and should not be dismissed.
He argued that those who had invested years in pursuing political ambitions could understandably feel disappointed when circumstances did not favour them.
According to him, reconciliation requires patience, sincere appeals and a willingness to acknowledge the concerns of those who feel unfairly treated.
Folarin specifically referred to his own political journey, saying he had spent 26 years pursuing his ambition to become governor of Oyo State.
He maintained that it would be unrealistic to expect someone who had made such a long-term investment in politics to feel no resentment over setbacks.
However, he suggested that the circumstances of different aggrieved individuals should be considered when efforts are made to resolve the crisis.
He said party members who were unhappy with developments should be approached and persuaded to reconsider their positions rather than being expected to accept the situation without discussion.
Folarin assesses Oyo APC reconciliation efforts
The former senator acknowledged the efforts of Senator Femi Lanlehin and Professor Taoheed Adedoja, who are involved in efforts to reconcile aggrieved members of the party.
Nevertheless, he argued that the success of the initiative depended significantly on the willingness of influential party figures to embrace a settlement.
Folarin said the reconciliation process could not achieve its intended objective if major stakeholders continued to disagree with the proposed arrangements.
He urged those involved to recognise the urgency of the situation, warning against allowing the disagreements to deepen as the 2027 elections approach.
He also recalled earlier discussions involving himself and other political figures, including Bayo, Senator Buhari and Olaniyan, concerning the party’s internal disagreements.
According to his account, there had previously been plans for a meeting at which some participants would have agreed not to support reconciliation.
He said subsequent developments had made it necessary to reconsider that position and examine what the party stood to gain from continued division.
Folarin also acknowledged the role of an individual he identified as Idris, whom he credited with making significant contributions to the political journey that brought the stakeholders to their present position.
He said that, despite the grievances that remained, the individual had continued to consider the party’s future, adding that political leaders needed to look beyond their immediate disagreements.
For Folarin, the central question was whether party members should allow their differences to damage their collective interests or make another attempt to find common ground.
Tinubu’s Oyo Coordinator calls for support for all APC candidates
Folarin further disclosed that President Tinubu had appointed him as the coordinator of the president’s political activities in Oyo State.
He said the responsibility extended beyond securing votes for the president, explaining that he was also expected to work towards the success of other APC candidates in the state.
According to him, the assignment would require engagement with party members across local government areas, particularly those who had become dissatisfied with developments within the party.
Folarin maintained that his familiarity with the various groups and individuals involved in the disagreements could help him understand their concerns and facilitate discussions aimed at bringing them back into the party’s fold.
He urged members to understand that political disagreements did not necessarily mean that individuals had to maintain personal friendships.
Rather, he suggested that party members could continue to work together under the APC umbrella even when they had differences at a personal level.
He also appealed to party supporters to remain committed to the collective objective, noting that reconciliation would require continuous dialogue because different individuals might respond differently to the same approach.
Folarin called on APC members to improve on the votes secured by Tinubu in Oyo State during the 2023 presidential election.
He dismissed suggestions that party members might abandon political activities after the presidential election, insisting that the responsibility entrusted to them covered the wider electoral contest.
He added that he had met with the president to discuss the situation in Oyo State and said Senator Buhari had also held discussions with Tinubu on issues affecting the party.
Folarin raises concerns over rewarding party members
Beyond the question of reconciliation, Folarin criticised what he described as an unsatisfactory reward system within the APC.
He complained that party members who worked towards electoral victories were sometimes overlooked when appointments, opportunities and other benefits were distributed, while individuals who contributed less received recognition.
He said such a situation could discourage committed members and deepen existing divisions within the party.
Folarin insisted that the concerns of grassroots politicians must be addressed and that those who had consistently worked for the party should not be sidelined.
He also addressed Alli’s emergence as the APC governorship candidate, acknowledging that the process had contributed to dissatisfaction among some party stakeholders.
However, he argued that the disagreement surrounding the emergence of the candidate should not prevent members from considering the wider political interests of the party.
Folarin described Alli as an experienced politician and said party leaders would continue to engage him over the expectations of members, including the need to ensure that those who contributed to the party’s success were appropriately recognised.
He drew a distinction between established grassroots politicians and what he referred to as computer politicians, saying the different groups could pursue their activities separately while ultimately working towards a shared electoral objective.
According to him, traditional party members should not be discarded as the APC prepares for the next elections.
He expressed hope that the party’s efforts would eventually lead to greater cooperation among its various factions and stakeholders.
2027 Elections: Folarin urges party members to look ahead
In his closing remarks, Folarin appealed to party supporters to exercise patience, noting that political participation, like business, could involve both gains and losses.
He urged them not to allow disappointment over past developments to prevent them from participating in future political activities.
He also reiterated his commitment to the responsibility assigned to him, saying he did not want to fail in a task he had accepted.
Folarin stressed that the assignment should not be regarded as his personal responsibility alone but as a collective obligation for all APC members in Oyo State.
His remarks came as the party continues to navigate internal disagreements following the emergence of its governorship candidate for the 2027 election.
The meeting between Folarin and Alli signals an effort to secure cooperation among influential party figures, although the extent to which the reconciliation initiative will resolve the concerns of all aggrieved stakeholders remains to be seen.
With the 2027 general elections approaching, the APC’s ability to address complaints about candidate selection, internal recognition and the distribution of political opportunities will remain important issues in its efforts to maintain cooperation among party members in Oyo State.
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