A group within the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Oyo State, Igba Otun; including some scholars and analysts, on Monday, called on the Minister of Power, Chief Adebayo Adelabu, and the 2023 governorship candidate of the party in Oyo State, Senator Teslim Folarin, to step aside from the 2027 governorship race in the state.

The group’s spokesperson, Akin Ademola, made the call in a statement made available to journalists in Ibadan, while the scholars and analysts made similar statements in chats with The Guardian.

The group argued, “Both Teslim Folarin and Bayo Adelabu will continue to polarise the party if either of them is on the ballot. Their past experiences have not united us; rather, they have deepened divisions within our ranks.”
The group believed it was crucial for the APC to “do away with the duo going into 2027″ and instead allow a fresh, neutral, and popular aspirant to emerge as the party’s flag bearer.

The scholars and analysts are a political analyst and strategist, Dr. Samson Olalere; a lecturer at the Department of History and International Relations, University of Ilesa, Osun State, Dr. Adebukola Ayoola; a popular public affairs analyst, Mrs Yemi Alabi, and Dr Temitope Bello of the Political Science Department, KolaDaisi University, Ibadan.

Dr. Bello of the Political Science Department, KolaDaisi University, Ibadan, said the two leaders have some polarising effect within the party.

”Their attributes cost the party the bye-election. The presence of either of them on the ticket of the party in 2027 would deepen the division already evident in the party,” she added.

A public affairs analyst, Mrs. Alabi, said both Folarin and Adelabu are not electable and lack the attributes and attitude of electable leaders. The party should look outside the two of them to make an impact in the 2027 gubernatorial election.

Dr. Olalere, a political analyst and strategist, said: ”Both of these people seem to have been the clog in the wing of progress for their party. If the APC is to make any progress in the upcoming elections, these two individuals must step down from their quest to run in the governorship election and appeal to their followers to sheathe their battle weapons, come together to rebuild their party. Their unsavoury rivalry is not helping the party build a strong one that can give the ruling party a good fight for the Agodi Government House.

The party is daily losing ground because of the unhealthy rivalry between the two party stalwarts and their followers. The PDP in Oyo State will continue to lead in elections if these people refuse to mend fences.”

Dr. Ayoola said: ”The implication is that they are gradually becoming unpopular and might not be able to deliver Oyo for APC in 2027. Beyond the candidacy of the duo, the APC also faces the challenge of convincing the people, especially in Oyo State, given the track record of the current administration of Governor Seyi Makinde and the PDP.

On a general appraisal, APC has not fared well as the ruling party, considering the economic hardship that Nigerians are forced to contend with. So all odds are against the party.”