Former Senate Leader, Senator Teslim Folarin, has endorsed the All Progressives Congress governorship candidate in Oyo State, Senator Sharafadeen Alli, ahead of the 2027 election, signalling a move towards reconciliation within the divided state chapter of the party.
Mr Folarin, who was the APC’s governorship candidate in the 2023 election, made his position known on Monday when Alli visited him in Ibadan.
Mr Folarin acknowledged the grievances among party members following the emergence of Alli as the APC’s governorship candidate, saying those who had invested years in pursuing their political ambitions had legitimate reasons to feel disappointed.
However, he urged aggrieved members to put their differences aside and work together for the party ahead of the 2027 polls.
He also disclosed that he had met with former Minister of Power, Chief Adebayo Adelabu, Senator Abdulfatai Buhari and former Deputy Governor Rauf Olaniyan as part of efforts to resolve the disagreements within the party.
‘Alli is our candidate’
Mr Folarin said the circumstances surrounding Alli’s emergence had caused some members to become aggrieved, but maintained that the party must now focus on winning the election.
He pledged to support Alli and other APC candidates, particularly following his appointment by President Bola Tinubu as coordinator of the Oyo State Presidential Campaign Council.
He said the APC must improve on the votes it secured for Tinubu in Oyo State in the 2023 presidential election and ensure victory for the party’s governorship and legislative candidates in 2027.
The former senator also criticised what he described as a poor reward system within the APC, arguing that members who worked for the party should not be overlooked while those who contributed little received political benefits.
He said Alli would be expected to work with party leaders to accommodate aggrieved members and ensure experienced grassroots politicians were not sidelined.
APC seeks to reclaim Oyo
The reconciliation comes as the APC intensifies efforts to regain control of Oyo State.
The party lost the governorship to the Peoples Democratic Party in 2019 and failed to defeat Governor Seyi Makinde in 2023.
Mr Alli emerged as the APC’s candidate after a contentious process that generated opposition from several prominent aspirants and members of the party. The APC leadership has since pushed for reconciliation, recognising that internal divisions could weaken its chances in 2027.
Mr Folarin’s endorsement therefore represents an important step in the party’s attempt to close ranks and present a united front ahead of the election.
Discover more from VOICE OF THE PEOPLE
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.
