Former Senate Leader, Teslim Folarin has scored the All Progressives Congress (APC) reconciliation committee in Oyo State 20 per cent, expressing concern over the lingering crisis within the party ahead of the 2027 general election.
Folarin, who acknowledged the efforts of Senator Olufemi Lanlehin and Professor Taoheed Adedoja in handling the reconciliation process, said the committee deserved commendation for its work but had yet to achieve the level of unity required to reposition the party.
He explained that 80 per cent of party members expected to align with the APC could not fully do so until aggrieved leaders were reconciled and brought back into the fold.
Former Senate Leader, who said he had 26 years of political experience, maintained that aggrieved members had the right to express their dissatisfaction, while the party also had a responsibility to appeal to them and address their concerns.
He warned that the party could no longer afford to watch the situation deteriorate, questioning the benefits of allowing the crisis to persist.
APC Reconciliation Committee: Aggrieved APC Leaders Hold Private Meeting
Folarin disclosed that aggrieved APC leaders including Chief Bayo Adelabu, Senator Fatai Buhari, Engr. Rauf Olaniyan and himself had held a private meeting at Iyaganku, adding that a second meeting involving their followers had been scheduled.
He alleged that Idris was responsible for preventing an earlier plan from materialising, while also claiming that the same individual facilitated the meeting currently taking place.
According to Folarin, he was sponsored to London because there were concerns that the planned meeting would hold. He added that Idris was also among those aggrieved within the party.
The senator further appealed to party members to recognise the changing political situation, declaring that the “Faaja mission has changed to Agodi straight.”
Folarin disclosed that President Bola Tinubu had appointed him as the state coordinator for the presidential election.
He clarified, however, that the assignment was not limited to Tinubu’s re-election bid but covered all elections, stressing the need for the APC to work collectively to improve its electoral performance in Oyo State.
Former Senate Leader urged aggrieved party leaders to remain calm and embrace reconciliation, noting that the APC must improve on its performance in the 2023 presidential election.
According to him, the party needs greater cooperation among its members to strengthen its chances in the forthcoming elections.
APC Reconciliation Committee: Folarin Assures Party Members of Benefits
The senator also disclosed that he had met with President Tinubu, adding that Senator Fatai Buhari had equally met with the president.
He said the president had assured them that those who worked for the party would benefit, urging members not to allow internal disagreements to undermine their efforts.
Folarin identified the handling of issues within the party as a major factor responsible for the crisis, suggesting that the manner in which events unfolded contributed to the grievances among party leaders.
He called on APC members across the various zones of Oyo State to put their differences aside and work in unity ahead of the 2027 general election.
The senator emphasised that reconciling aggrieved leaders remained crucial to rebuilding confidence, strengthening the party’s structure and improving its electoral prospects in the state.
Stakeholders within the Oyo State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) have chosen to await the intervention of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to possibly resolve their misgivings over the emergence of Senator Sharafadeen Alli as the governorship candidate of the party.
The National Working Committee of the APC had endorsed Alli as the governorship candidate to the chagrin of other contestants, including Senator Fatai Buhari, Chief Adebayo Adelabu and the former deputy governor in the administration of Governor Seyi Makinde, Engineer Rauf Olaniyan, as well as the state’s Renewed Hope Ambassador, Senator Teslim Kolawole Folarin, among others.
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