President Bola Tinubu on Tuesday met with former Senate Leader, Teslim Folarin, in what appeared to be a fresh move to strengthen unity within the All Progressives Congress ahead of the 2027 governorship election in Oyo State.
The meeting took place at the Presidential Villa in Abuja. A source close to Folarin said it formed part of ongoing efforts to rally the former governorship candidate behind the party’s flag bearer, Sharafadeen Alli.
According to the source, the APC leadership hopes the meeting will help reconcile key stakeholders. It also wants to resolve lingering disagreements before the February 2027 governorship election.
APC seeks united front
Folarin represented Oyo Central Senatorial District in the Senate and flew the APC flag in the 2023 governorship election. However, he lost the contest to Governor Seyi Makinde of the Peoples Democratic Party.
His ambition to contest the 2027 election ended after the party adopted Alli as its governorship candidate. Consequently, Folarin did not participate in the party’s primary election.
Tuesday’s meeting also came as President Tinubu and the APC leadership intensified efforts to unite party leaders behind Alli’s candidacy.
Alli’s emergence sparked controversy
Alli emerged as the APC governorship candidate after a keenly contested process. The race featured several prominent aspirants.
Among them were former Minister of Power, Adebayo Adelabu, former Deputy Governor Rauf Olaniyan, Senator Abdulfatai Buhari, Akeem Agbaje and Oyedele Alao.
The APC formally presented Alli and his running mate, Adesoji Adedeji, to party supporters in Ibadan on July 2.
Party leaders said extensive consultations preceded the decision. They also maintained that stakeholders reached a consensus after discussions backed by President Tinubu.
Aggrieved aspirants rejected process
Despite the consensus claim, the process generated sharp disagreements within the party.
Adelabu, who resigned as Minister of Power to contest the primary, insisted that the APC had not officially announced the outcome of the exercise.
He urged party members to remain calm. He also asked them to reject what he described as premature claims about a consensus arrangement. According to him, only the party’s national leadership could formally declare the winner.
Meanwhile, a group of aggrieved aspirants known as the G5 also rejected Alli’s emergence. The group demanded that the APC address concerns surrounding the selection process.
Tinubu pushes reconciliation
The controversy created fresh divisions within the Oyo APC. As a result, party leaders intensified reconciliation efforts.
The party has repeatedly urged aggrieved members to close ranks. It also warned that internal disagreements could weaken its chances of reclaiming Oyo State from the PDP.
According to the source, President Tinubu considers Folarin’s support crucial because of his influence within the party. The source also cited Folarin’s experience as the APC governorship candidate in 2023.
The source further claimed that the President assured Folarin that his loyalists would have opportunities in future political arrangements at both the state and federal levels.
Folarin expected to brief supporters
The source disclosed that Folarin is expected to meet with his supporters. He is also expected to brief them on the outcome of his meeting with the President.
The APC hopes to regain control of Oyo State after losing power to the PDP in 2019. The party also failed to unseat Governor Makinde during the 2023 governorship election.
Supporters of Alli believe his emergence offers the APC another opportunity to unite its members. They also believe he can broaden the party’s appeal ahead of the 2027 governorship election.
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