Folarin Directs Oyo APC to Prioritize Tinubu's Re-election Over Personal Ambitions

The political landscape of Oyo State witnessed a significant convocation of the All Progressives Congress (APC) elite this week, as former Senate Leader Teslim Folarin issued a stern directive to party stalwarts regarding the upcoming 2027 general elections. Convening at the Oba Adeyemi Stadium in Oyo town for the launch of the APC/Renewed Hope Ambassadors’ 14–Federal Constituency tour, the gathering served as a strategic reset for the opposition party. The central thrust of the deliberation was a mandate for all aspiring officeholders to subordinate their personal gubernatorial or legislative ambitions to the overarching objective of stabilizing the party structure. It was posited that the current fragmentation within the ranks serves as the greatest impediment to reclaiming the Agodi Government House, necessitating a radical shift in behavioral conduct among the leadership cadre to present a formidable front against the ruling establishment.
​The primary motivation behind this call for cohesion is the re-election bid of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu. It was articulated with absolute clarity that the integrity of the President's mandate in the South West relies heavily on the performance of the party in key states like Oyo. Senator Folarin reminded the stakeholders that President Tinubu secured 449,884 votes in Oyo State during the 2023 presidential election—one of the strongest margins nationwide. Consequently, the party has now set a target of a 35% increase in this vote tally for 2027. The narrative advanced during the session positioned the next presidential election as the ultimate litmus test for the state chapter’s relevance in national politics, categorizing any internal distraction as political sabotage.
​Addressing the myriad of politicians already posturing for the 2027 governorship ticket, the former gubernatorial candidate delivered a sober reality check regarding the viability of their aspirations in a fractured system. The argument was made that a platform weakened by infighting and ego-driven skirmishes cannot serve as a vehicle for electoral victory, regardless of the individual popularity of the candidate. The directive was for these ambitions to be placed in abeyance, allowing the party machinery to undergo a comprehensive healing process. This approach privileges the collective survival of the institution over the immediate gratification of individual desires, operating on the logic that a united party is the only foundation upon which any personal ambition can realistically be constructed.
​Demonstrating a commitment to this new paradigm of self-abnegation, the leadership offered personal guarantees to underscore the seriousness of the situation. It was declared that personal participation in the next gubernatorial contest is contingent solely upon the achievement of genuine unity within the party. This conditional stance serves as a litmus test for other aspirants, challenging them to match this level of sacrifice. By conditioning personal involvement on collective stability, a standard has been set that delegitimizes any aspiration pursued at the expense of party cohesion. The message resonated as a challenge to the ego-centric politics that have historically bedeviled the chapter, proposing instead a model of servant-leadership where the health of the collective takes precedence over the career trajectory of the individual.
​The APC State Chairman, Pharm. Olayide Abas, reinforced these sentiments by providing an administrative roadmap for the proposed reconciliation. Recognizing that unity is not achieved through mere rhetoric, the party apparatus is set to embark on a systematic engagement with all aggrieved factions and tendencies. The chairman’s address highlighted that the strength of the APC lies in its diversity of heavyweights, but this strength becomes a liability when it lacks a unified direction. The administrative focus is now shifting towards harmonizing the various structures and caucuses that exist within the state chapter, ensuring that every tendency feels a sense of belonging. This inclusiveness is viewed as the antidote to the apathy and sabotage that often characterize disgruntled party members during critical election periods.
​The caliber of attendees at the meeting underscored the gravity of the deliberations. The event drew together a pantheon of Oyo State’s political nobility, including the former First Lady and Ambassador-designate, Dr. (Mrs.) Florence Ajimobi, and the Minister of Power, Chief Adebayo Adelabu. Also present were serving senators such as Yunus Akintunde and Sharafadeen Alli, alongside former deputy governors Chief Iyiola Oladokun and Chief Moses Alake. The participation of these figures signaled a bridging of generational and factional divides within the progressive fold. Their collective presence lends credence to the initiative, suggesting that the old guard and the new breed of politicians are finding common ground on the necessity of closing ranks.
​Strategic discussions also touched upon the broader implications of the APC’s performance in Oyo State for the geopolitical balance of the South West. As a traditional political heavy-hitter, Oyo State’s alignment with the center is considered critical for the consolidation of the region’s influence in Abuja. The stakeholders acknowledged that a fragmented APC in Oyo acts as a weak link in the President's home base. Therefore, the drive for unity is also a project to restore the state's political prestige. By rallying behind the President, the state chapter aims to attract more federal presence and patronage, which in turn becomes a potent campaign tool. The correlation between party discipline and the delivery of democratic dividends was established as a key talking point for the upcoming mobilization drives.
​Concluding the high-stakes engagement, the resolution was unanimous that the era of disjointed campaigns and parallel structures must come to an immediate end. The path forward involves the continuation of the constituency tour to the remaining federal constituencies, designed to iron out lingering grievances before the commencement of the electioneering season. The leadership made a solemn pledge to operate with transparency and fairness, removing the suspicions of imposition that often trigger internal rebellions. As the meeting dispersed, the prevailing mood was one of cautious optimism, with the understanding that the road to 2027 requires the difficult but essential labor of compromising personal ego for the greater good of party supremacy and the ultimate victory of the President.