The Oyo Rising Citizens Forum (ORCF) has strongly condemned a joint statement by Senator Teslim Folarin, Chief Bayo Adelabu, Senator Abdulfatai Buhari, and former Deputy Governor Rauf Olaniyan. The watchdog group labelled their pledge to work exclusively for the re-election of President Bola Tinubu 2027 a hypocritical and anti-party posture, creating immediate friction within the Oyo APC ahead of the upcoming general elections.
The political group, in a press statement signed by Aderemi Adebisi and Owolabi, demanded an immediate explanation for this selective stance. They argued that the declaration complicates the broader landscape of Oyo State politics and undermines the party’s collective goals.
Oyo APC: Reconciliation Progress Interrupted
The public declaration by the party chieftains comes at a delicate time for the state chapter. According to the ORCF, internal structures within the Oyo APC are actively working to mend fences following previous electoral disputes.
While the All Progressives Congress, APC, in Oyo State has already constituted a committee to reconcile all aggrieved aspirants and party members ahead of the general election in 2027, the protest today by some loyalists of Chief Bayo Adelabu and also a meeting held among Senator Teslim Folarin, Chief Bayo Adelabu, Senator Fatai Buhari and former Oyo Deputy Governor Rauf Olaniyan, where all of them concluded that they would only work to deliver Oyo State for President Bola Tinubu come 2027, smacks of hypocrisy and divided loyalty, which even the President, as a true democrat, will not accept,” the ORCF statement said.
Disloyalty to State Governorship Ticket
The underlying issue stems from an ongoing refusal to accept internal democratic outcomes. The ORCF accused the quartet of actively undermining unity within the Oyo APC by rejecting the primary election that produced Senator Sharafadeen Alli as the official governorship candidate for the state.
The forum warned that selective allegiance risks fracturing the party’s grassroots base. They insisted that the Presidency would see through the strategy, noting that regional harmony cannot be separated from national success.
The statement highlighted perceived personal contradictions among the state’s party leadership:
It is so unfortunate that these individuals have refused to accept the will of God over the emergence of Senator Sharafadeen Alli as the party’s governorship candidate. One wonders why Senator Teslim Folarin, who once enjoyed unalloyed loyalty from Senator Alli during the last governorship election in Oyo State, has not uttered any statement in support of Senator Sharafadeen Alli,” the statement added.
Demands for Strict Party Discipline
The Oyo Rising Citizens Forum urged all aggrieved aspirants to embrace standard sportsmanship. They reminded members that an official reconciliation committee remains open to address legitimate grievances before the formal launch of the Oyo APC election campaigns.
Turning its attention to the wider governance of the region, the group also criticised the current state administration. They stated that the state “deserves better” than the present administration under Governor Seyi Makinde. In contrast, the group described Senator Sharafadeen Alli as “a man of integrity and a grassroots politician who will bring succour to the people of the state.”
Condemning the joint statement by Folarin, Adelabu, Buhari, and Olaniyan, ORCF argued that the wording of the communiqué was deliberately disingenuous. The original text was framed as an announcement of their meeting: “…to deliberate on strategies for working closely with other stakeholders of the great party to ensure the successful delivery of Oyo State for President Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu in the 2027 general election.
The forum concluded that this messaging is an attempt by the four politicians to position themselves as regional kingmakers while quietly sabotaging the party’s chosen governorship candidate. The group has now called on the party hierarchy at both state and national levels to take decisive steps to check factionalism, enforce strict discipline, and ensure all members publicly commit to overall unity.
