TESLIM FOLARIN’S ENDORSEMENT OF SHARAFADEEN ALLI: A STRATEGIC MASTERSTROKE RESHAPING OYO APC’S PATH TO AGODI HOUSE IN 2027 | Aderogba Taofik, mni

In the often turbulent and fractious theatre of Oyo State politics, moments of genuine statesmanship are rare and therefore profoundly significant. The recent public declaration by former Senate Leader and the 2023 gubernatorial candidate of the All Progressives Congress, Senator Teslim Folarin, rallying support for the candidacy of Senator Sharafadeen Abiodun Alli, the Ekaarun Balogun of Ibadanland, for the 2027 governorship election, is one such defining moment. It is an action that transcends mere political endorsement; it is a strategic recalibration that may well determine the fate of the APC in Oyo State.

Senator Folarin’s statement was remarkable for its candour and humility. By openly admitting that many aspirants, including himself, are aggrieved after investing not just resources but a lifetime – 26 years in his own case – in the governorship project, he validated the emotions that have long kept the Oyo APC divided. This acknowledgement is not a sign of weakness but of profound leadership. He did not dismiss the pain of loss; he confronted it, and then elevated the discourse above it by invoking the sacred principle of party supremacy. His appeal that personal ambition must not be allowed to override the collective interest of the party is the very foundation upon which formidable political machines are built.

This intervention is made even more potent by the dual authority Folarin now wields. As the Coordinator for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in Oyo State, his mandate, as he rightly stated, is to deliver Oyo State from top to bottom in the forthcoming general elections. This is not a personal wish but a presidential directive. By aligning his personal political structure with the choice of Senator Alli, Folarin has effectively fused the federal might of the Presidency with the local momentum of the APC in Oyo. The symbolism in his phrase, “Faaja has now turned to Agodi straight,” is unmistakable. Faaja, the old Oyo State Government Secretariat, represents the past struggles and detours of the party, while Agodi, the current seat of power, represents the future the APC seeks to reclaim. The road, he is saying, is now clear and direct.

The Implications for APC’s Chances:

For the past two election cycles, the greatest opposition to the APC in Oyo State has not been the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), but the APC itself. The party went into the 2019 and 2023 elections as a house divided against itself, with aggrieved aspirants working at cross-purposes, some even openly working against the party’s flagbearer. This internal hemorrhaging is what cost the party victory and allowed the opposition to retain power.

Folarin’s endorsement fundamentally alters this equation. What it does is threefold:

First, it neutralizes the most potent opposition bloc within the APC. Folarin commands the largest single political structure in the Oyo APC, a structure built over two decades. His supporters, spread across all 33 Local Governments, were the most likely to become apathetic or even antagonistic. By directing them to work for Alli, he has instantly healed the party’s deepest wound and created a unified front.

Second, it confers unparalleled legitimacy on Senator Alli’s candidacy. Senator Alli, a seasoned administrator, former Chairman of Ibadan North Local Government, former Secretary to the State Government, and currently a distinguished Senator representing Oyo South, possesses impeccable credentials. However, his candidacy was facing the familiar threat of being labelled an imposition. Folarin’s support, coming from a fellow heavyweight who was himself an aspirant and the party’s last flagbearer, removes that label and presents Alli as a consensus builder, a candidate of party unity.

Third, it sends a powerful signal of presidential backing. With Folarin as the President’s coordinator delivering the message, no member of the APC in Oyo State can be in doubt that Senator Alli’s candidacy enjoys the full blessing of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and the national leadership of the party. In a presidential system where federal power matters, this is an invaluable asset.

Consequently, the chances of the APC winning the 2027 gubernatorial election have moved from a mere possibility to a strong probability. A united APC, backed by federal power and now speaking with one voice, is a formidable force.

The Implications for the Opposition and Alli’s Prospects:

The ripples of this development will be felt acutely within the opposition. The ruling party in Oyo State, led by the sitting Governor, Engr. Seyi Makinde, who is now reportedly positioning himself as a presidential candidate of the APM for the coming elections, has always relied on the APC’s self-destruction for its survival. With Governor Makinde potentially focusing his attention on a national ambition, his party in Oyo State will be left to face a cohesive and energized APC without the advantage of an internally divided opposition. The PDP’s strategy in Oyo has always been to benefit from APC’s crises. With the APC now showing signs of genuine reconciliation, that strategy collapses entirely.

For Senator Sharafadeen Abiodun Alli himself, the path to Agodi Government House has become significantly clearer. Known as BSA, Alli is not a divisive figure; he is a bridge-builder with deep roots in Ibadanland, strong connections in Oke-Ogun, Ibarapa, Oyo, and Ogbomoso zones, and a reputation for intellectual depth and administrative competence. He is respected across party lines. Folarin’s endorsement provides him with the political spread he needed, combining his own technocratic appeal with Folarin’s massive grassroots structure. Managing this new coalition with wisdom and magnanimity, the chances of APC producing the next Governor of Oyo State are exceedingly bright.

Conclusion: A Call to Supremacy of the Party

In conclusion, Senator Teslim Folarin has demonstrated what true leadership entails. He has shown that he is indeed a true party man, a statesman who can subordinate his personal ambition to the larger cause of the party. He has placed the interest of the APC and the desire of the people of Oyo State for progressive governance above his own.

This is therefore a clarion call to all other APC aspirants – including distinguished leaders like Chief Adebayo Adelabu, Senator Fatai Buhari, Engr. Rauf Olaniyan, Akeem Agbaje, and all others who aspired – and to the general membership of the APC in Oyo State. The time for agitation is over; the time for consolidation is now. Let us take a cue from Senator Folarin. Let us bury our personal grievances, respect party supremacy, and work together as one indivisible family. Our personal ambitions can only be realized on the platform of a victorious party. The goal is not just to win a primary, but to win Oyo State back.

Let us all join hands with Senator Sharafadeen Abiodun Alli (BSA) and march together straight to Agodi in 2027.

About the Author: Comrade Aderogba Adebayo Taofik, mni, is a unionist in the food, beverage, and tobacco industry, with professional expertise in logistics and supply chains. He is also a policy research and public affairs analyst, an advocate for good governance, and a chieftain of the Oyo APC. He writes from Ward 12, Ibadan North Federal Constituency, Oyo State, Nigeria.