Folarin meets Tinubu as APC mobilises for Alli’s gov bid

President Bola Tinubu met with former Senate Leader Teslim Folarin on Tuesday, signaling an effort to secure Folarin's backing for the All Progressives Congress's (APC) 2027 governorship candidate, Sharafadeen Alli. The meeting, held at the Presidential Villa in Abuja, is seen as a strategic move to unify major APC stakeholders in Oyo State and address lingering internal disputes before the February 2027 governorship election.

Folarin, who previously represented Oyo Central Senatorial District and was the APC's governorship candidate in 2023, lost to the incumbent Governor Seyi Makinde of the Peoples Democratic Party. His ambition for 2027 was sidelined when the party hierarchy selected Alli, as Folarin did not participate in the primaries that led to Alli's emergence. Tinubu's engagement with Folarin comes amidst broader party efforts to consolidate support for Alli, whose candidacy followed a divisive primary process.

Alli secured the party's nomination after a contentious selection that initially saw him competing against several prominent figures, including former Minister of Power Adebayo Adelabu. Alli and his running mate, Adesoji Adedeji, were officially presented as the candidates on July 2 in Ibadan, following an endorsement by APC leaders and stakeholders who reportedly designated him as their consensus candidate with the President's backing. However, the process was marred by controversy, with Adelabu questioning the official announcement of the outcome and urging calm among party members.

Despite Adelabu's insistence that the national leadership should formally declare the primary winner, reports indicated Alli defeated other aspirants, including former Deputy Governor Rauf Olaniyan and Senator Abdulfatai Buhari. A group of aggrieved aspirants, known as G5, also opposed Alli's nomination, demanding that the party address their concerns. The APC's decision to proceed with Alli has created divisions, prompting party leadership to warn that internal conflicts could jeopardize their chances against the PDP, which has governed Oyo State since 2019. A source close to Folarin indicated that the President's intervention aims to draw Folarin into supporting Alli's bid.