Oyo APC Primaries: Teslim Kolawole Folarin Finally Speaks Out

By Ibrahim Kegbegbe

After weeks of political silence amid the wave of All Progressives Congress (APC) primaries in Oyo State, former Senate Leader and APC chieftain, Teslim Kolawole Folarin, on Saturday finally resurfaced publicly, commending the peaceful conduct of the party’s presidential primary election across the 351 wards of the state.

Folarin, who had remained noticeably absent during the governorship consultations, declarations, and direct primaries that produced the party’s gubernatorial candidate, spoke as party members participated in the presidential primary election aimed at reaffirming support for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu ahead of the 2027 general election.

The former governorship candidate of the APC in Oyo State described the exercise as peaceful, orderly, and successful, while praising party faithful for their massive turnout and unwavering commitment to the ruling party.

“The All Progressives Congress Presidential Primaries across the 351 wards of Oyo State have so far been peaceful, orderly, and successful,” Folarin stated.

“I commend the impressive turnout of our party members for this ongoing exercise. This is a strong demonstration of party loyalty, commitment, and confidence in the leadership of the APC.”

He further noted that the enthusiasm displayed by party members signaled readiness among the grassroots to work collectively for the success of the party in 2027.

“The enthusiasm displayed by our teeming members reflects their readiness to work collectively towards greater success in the 2027 elections,” he added.

Folarin also urged party leaders and stakeholders to intensify efforts in communicating the achievements of the Tinubu administration to ordinary Nigerians at the grassroots level.

“I enjoin our party leaders and members to continue taking the achievements of President Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration to the grassroots, as there is a critical need for effective communication of the administration’s policies, programmes, and developmental strides to the people,” the APC stalwart said.

Saturday’s statement by Folarin has, however, generated fresh political conversations within Oyo APC circles, especially given his prolonged silence during recent internal activities of the party in the state.

The Merit Newspaper reports that political observers had expressed concerns over Folarin’s low-profile posture during the governorship contest, with many questioning whether the former senator was distancing himself from the state structure of the party or strategically focusing only on the presidential election.

His absence during the declaration ceremonies of APC governorship aspirants, including Senator Sharafadeen Alli and former Minister of Power, Adebayo Adelabu, further fueled speculations about possible cracks within the party’s leadership ranks in Oyo State.

Equally, during the gubernatorial direct primary election, Folarin was reportedly absent from the field in his ward, leaving many party loyalists uncertain about where his political support rested.

Some analysts believe his latest intervention on the presidential primary may signal a deliberate political recalibration aimed at repositioning himself within the APC ahead of the 2027 electoral cycle.

Others, however, insist that Folarin’s comments demonstrate that despite internal political alignments and permutations within the Oyo APC, party leaders are beginning to rally around President Tinubu’s second-term ambition as a unifying agenda.

Folarin remains one of the most influential political figures in Oyo APC, having served as Senate Leader during the 9th National Assembly and contested the 2023 governorship election under the platform of the ruling party.

His latest remarks are expected to reignite discussions over his next political move and possible role in the evolving power dynamics within the Oyo State chapter of the APC ahead of 2027.