Politics
Folarin, Omodewu mobilise Oyo APC stakeholders ahead of presidential campaign in Ibadan
The gubernatorial candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Oyo state, Senator Teslim Folarin and the State Chairman of the Party, Mr Isaac Omodewu have rallied other stakeholders to mobilise their supporters and people from the nooks and crannies of the state to attend the Presidential Campaign rally slated for next month in Ibadan to send a signal to the whole world that Oyo state would deliver for the APC in the 2023 general elections.
The Oyo State turn of the APC presidential rally has been scheduled to hold on February 7, 2023, at the ancient Mapo Hall in Ibadan to herald the electioneering campaigns of the Party’s presidential candidate, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, and his vice presidential candidate, Sen. Kassim Shettima, as well as other candidates of the APC in the state.
At a stakeholders meeting held on Monday at the Oyo APC’s Secretariat in Oke-Ado, Ibadan, Sen. Folarin called on leaders, members and supporters of the Party to prioritize the need for mobilization of residents to welcome Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, Sen. Kassim Shettima, Sen. Abdullahi Adamu, Gov. Simon Lalong, and other dignitaries who would be on the entourage as he stated that all necessary action was being taken to ensure a successful event.
“All eyes are now on us in Oyo state because the outside world wants us to showcase our status as the Pacesetters and also justify why Ibadan is reputed as the political capital of South Western Nigeria. Our goal is not only to record the largest turnout of people at the ongoing state-by-state presidential rallies being organized to sell the choice of Tinubu/Shettima to all and sundry but to also establish the basis for Asiwaju to get, at least, 80 per cent of the total votes to be cast in all the 33 Local Government Areas of the state on February 25.
“I am glad we have most of our party leaders here at the moment and I will like to say that we are indebted to people like our immediate past state Chairman, Chief Akin Oke, the three former deputy governors, Chief Iyiola Oladokun, Chief Moses Alake Adeyemo and Engr. Rauf Olaniyan as well as other eminent leaders of the progressive in the state who have done so much to stabilize the situation and also position Oyo APC for victory at the upcoming polls. Asiwaju project deserves every sacrifice and seriousness on our part as it is the best way to go for Nigeria to move forward. So, we shall leave no stone unturned to deliver for him.
“We are reaching out to all the aggrieved members of our party and we are ready to engage everyone in meaningful talks because we need each other to achieve success at the poll. We are working so hard because we appreciate the enormity of the task ahead and we shall not rest on our oars. Oyo state must be repositioned and restored to her Pacesetter status since the general opinion revolves around the need to sack the current PDP administration and replaced it with the APCs in view of our track record, pedigree and promise.” Folarin added.
Oyo APC chairman, Mr Isaac Omodewu, said in his opening remark that it has been projected that Sen. Tinubu and his running mate, Sen. Shettima, would score far more than a million votes given the resolve by the majority to go for the best which the APC parades.
His words; “As handlers of the APC in this state, we must do everything possible to mobilize all voters in the state for Tinubu and Shettima as well as all the candidates of our party. We keep our eyes on the ball and among our goals is to dislodge the PDP from the state.”
Other party leaders present at the meeting are; Barrister Sarafadeen Alli, Dr Yunus Akintunde, Hon. Segun Odebunmi, Hon. Ajibola Muraina, Hon. Olaide Akinremi, Hon. Tolulope Akande-Shadipe, Hon. Saheed Akinade-Fijabi, Hon. Dapo Lam-Adesina, Hon. Olaide Muhammed, Hon. Wasiu Akinmoyede, Engr. Aderemi Oseni, Hon. Soliu Abu Gbadamosi, Alh. Fatai Ibikunle, Hon. Asimiyu Alarape, Engr. Idris Adeoye, Dr Isiaka Kolawole, Chief Timothy Jolaoso, Engr. Dayo Lawal, Alh. Olayide Abas, Barr. Yemi Aderibigbe, Hon. Bimbo Kolade, Barr. Lowo Obisesan among others.
Former Governor of Kaduna State, Nasir El-Rufai, has dismissed the possibility of a political merger ahead of the 2027 general election, instead urging former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, ex-Labour Party presidential candidate Peter Obi, and other opposition figures to join the Social Democratic Party (SDP).
El-Rufai’s call came in the wake of his resignation from the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) on 10 March, citing a misalignment of values with the party.
In a recent interview with BBC Hausa, the former governor appealed to opposition leaders to unite under the SDP banner to challenge President Bola Tinubu’s administration in the next election.
“My wishes and prayers are that Atiku Abubakar, Peter Obi, Rotimi Amaechi, Rauf Aregbesola, and all opposition leaders join SDP—not to form a merger or register a new party, but to work together towards 2027,” he said.
El-Rufai also expressed his disappointment in the current administration, stating that despite initial confidence in Tinubu’s leadership, he had failed to meet expectations.
“What pains me is that the government we supported and believed in would perform well because we saw what Tinubu achieved in Lagos despite his challenges,” he remarked. “We all know about his issues in Chicago, but we thought if he could replicate his work in Lagos at the national level, we should support him. However, he has failed.”
Meanwhile, the Presidency has dismissed speculation surrounding the 2027 elections, maintaining that President Tinubu is focused on economic reforms and national development.
In a statement on Friday via X (formerly Twitter), Tinubu’s Special Adviser on Media and Public Communications, Bayo Onanuga, stated:
“President Tinubu is not worried about the next election. He is concerned about the shared prosperity he can bring to Nigerians. He is focused on ensuring that, by the end of his first term, he can look back and say, ‘I have impacted the lives of Nigerians and turned this economy around.’”
Onanuga also highlighted the administration’s achievements, including improved foreign reserves, reduced inflation, a growing trade surplus, and increased foreign investments.
Addressing speculation about his own presidential ambition in 2027, El-Rufai said his candidacy would depend on the party and the will of the people.
“It is not for me to decide; it is the party and the people that will decide. Even when I was contesting for governor, it was the people who met and convinced (Muhammadu) Buhari, and he called me to run,” he said.
As political alignments continue to take shape ahead of 2027, El-Rufai’s defection and his call for opposition unity signal growing tensions within Nigeria’s political landscape.
Former President Muhammadu Buhari has reaffirmed his commitment to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), stating that he remains a loyal member and will continue to promote the party across the country.
Buhari made this known in a statement released on Thursday by his spokesman, Garba Shehu, amid speculations of defections from the APC.
“I am an APC member, and I like to be addressed as such. I will try to popularise the party by all means,” the former president declared.
Without referring to any individual or ongoing political debates, Buhari reiterated his long-standing position on party loyalty, emphasizing that he would never turn his back on the APC—the platform that brought him to power for two consecutive terms from 2015 to 2023.
He expressed gratitude to the party and its supporters for the trust they placed in him, acknowledging their role in his political journey. “I have nothing but gratitude for the support that the party gave me before and during my tenure as president. That, to me, is the highest honor, and I would never ask for anything more,” he added.
Buhari further stressed the importance of preserving the party’s founding ideals, which he described as a crucial effort to safeguard democracy and uphold constitutional values. According to him, the sacrifices made by the APC’s founding fathers in building a formidable party should be appreciated and sustained.
Former Kaduna State Governor, Nasiru El-Rufai, has revealed that his decision to leave the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) was made with the knowledge and approval of former President Muhammadu Buhari.
El-Rufai, who officially announced his defection to the Social Democratic Party (SDP) on Monday through a statement on his verified Facebook page, disclosed this in an interview with BBC Hausa on Wednesday.
The former governor stated that he has always sought Buhari’s counsel on major political decisions, including his departure from the APC.
“There are certain people that before I do any major thing or make any decision, I consult, and anything they ask me not to do, I don’t do, and former President Muhammadu Buhari is among them,” El-Rufai said.
“I consulted Buhari before leaving the APC. It was on a Friday when I went and met him. I hardly make any major decision without consulting him. I told him to pray for me and give me his blessings, which he did.”
El-Rufai also recalled how, during his time as Kaduna State governor, he sought Buhari’s input on key appointments, including the selection of commissioners.
“Even when I was governor of Kaduna before I appointed my commissioners, I took the list to Buhari for cross-checking to see if, from among them, someone ever insulted him.
“He laughed, thanked me, and told me to go ahead and appoint my commissioners,” he added.
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