By Adeola Badru
Former Senate Leader and 2023 governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Oyo State, Teslim Folarin, has declared support for the party’s governorship candidate, Sharafadeen Alli, and other APC candidates for the 2027 elections, in a fresh push to end the party’s internal crisis.
Folarin, who returned to the country from an overseas trip, made the declaration on Monday, appealing to aggrieved party members to put their differences behind them and unite for the common goal of securing electoral victories for the APC.
The former Senate leader demonstrated his support by raising Alli’s hand at a gathering while acknowledging the disappointment of aspirants who had invested years in pursuing their governorship ambitions but lost out in the party’s selection process.
“I have invested 26 years of my life in becoming governor. If I feel cheated, am I not expected to be angry?” he said.
Folarin said aggrieved members deserved to be heard and appealed to, stressing the need for the party’s leadership to address their concerns rather than allow resentment to undermine its chances in the forthcoming elections.
He, however, expressed concern over the slow pace of reconciliation efforts by the committee led by Professor Taoheed Adedoja and Senator Femi Lanlehin, among others, saying the exercise had achieved only about 20 per cent of its target.
According to him, mutual grievances among party members had hampered the reconciliation process, but the approaching elections made it imperative for APC leaders and stakeholders to resolve their differences and work together.
As part of efforts to address the crisis, Folarin disclosed that he had met with former Minister of Power, Chief Adebayo Adelabu; Senator Abdulfatai Buhari; and former deputy governor, Engr. Rauf Olaniyan, in Iyaganku, Ibadan.
He urged APC members to rally behind Alli, noting that President Bola Tinubu’s appointment of him as coordinator of the Oyo State Presidential Campaign Council placed a responsibility on him to work towards the success of all the party’s candidates in the state.
Folarin said the APC must improve on the votes it secured for Tinubu in Oyo State during the 2023 presidential election, while ensuring that its governorship and legislative candidates emerged victorious in the 2027 elections.
He also called for a review of the party’s reward system, insisting that members who had contributed to its growth and electoral successes should benefit from their efforts rather than be overlooked.
The former Senate leader urged Alli to work closely with party leaders to ensure that aggrieved members were accommodated, warning against sidelining experienced politicians in the reconciliation process.
“We won’t allow Alli to rest until all aggrieved members get their own benefits,” Folarin said.
He further urged party leaders and supporters to leave the gathering and spread the message that efforts were under way to resolve the crisis, stressing that little time remained before the elections and that the party could not afford prolonged internal divisions.
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