Former Oyo Central Senator Teslim Folarin has declared support for the All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship candidate in Oyo State, Senator Sharafadeen Alli, pledging to unite aggrieved party leaders ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Folarin made the declaration on Monday, October 19, 2026, in Ibadan, when Alli visited him alongside party members and supporters, assuring the delegation that he had moved beyond the disagreements that followed the emergence of the party’s governorship candidate.
He also expressed confidence that other aggrieved APC leaders would eventually join the reconciliation process to support President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Alli, and other party candidates in the state.
Addressing the gathering in Yoruba, Folarin acknowledged the depth of discontent within the party but argued that reconciliation was necessary to prevent internal disagreements from undermining its electoral preparations.
He said he understood why some leaders were unhappy, noting that he had spent 26 years pursuing his ambition to become governor.
According to him, expecting someone who had invested decades in such an ambition not to feel aggrieved would be unrealistic, adding that those who felt wronged needed to be approached and persuaded to embrace reconciliation.
Folarin commended former Senator Femi Lanlehin and Professor Taoheed Adedoja for leading efforts to reconcile the party’s factions but rated their progress at 20 per cent, arguing that the process could not advance significantly without the cooperation of influential aggrieved leaders.
He said the party could no longer afford to allow its internal disputes to escalate as the 2027 elections approached.
The former senator also acknowledged the role played by a party figure he identified as Idris in efforts that brought the group to its present position, saying that despite his own grievances, the individual had continued to consider the party’s future.
Folarin disclosed that President Tinubu had appointed him as the coordinator of the party’s activities in Oyo State, stressing that his responsibility extended beyond securing votes for the President to ensuring the success of all APC candidates.
He said, “Politics has started today,” urging party members to begin working towards the elections while continuing to appeal to those who remained dissatisfied.
He maintained that reconciliation did not necessarily require everyone to become personal friends, but insisted that party members should be able to work together towards a common objective.
Folarin said his familiarity with aggrieved party members across the state’s local government areas would help him identify and engage those who needed to be brought back into the fold.
He also called for an improvement in the APC’s reward system, complaining that party members who worked for electoral victories were often overlooked while those who contributed little received recognition.
He warned that such a situation should not be allowed to continue, promising to press for recognition and rewards for members who worked for the party.
Describing Alli as an experienced politician, Folarin said the manner in which his candidacy emerged had contributed to the grievances among some party leaders.
He nevertheless pledged to work with the governorship candidate while urging him to ensure that party loyalists were not neglected.
Folarin further recalled the APC’s performance in the 2023 presidential election, saying the party must improve on the votes it secured for Tinubu in Oyo State.
He assured supporters that the coming election would be approached differently and appealed to them to accept the responsibility of working collectively towards the party’s success.
“The task entrusted to me has also been entrusted to all of us,” he said.
