FRESH ALIGNMENTS IN OYO APC AS FOLARIN VISITS ADELABU, ADESEUN

A surprise visit by the 2023 governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Oyo State, Senator Teslim Folarin, to the Minister of Power, Chief Adebayo Adelabu, at his Iyaganku residence in Ibadan on Sunday, has stirred renewed political reactions across the state.

The closed-door meeting between the former Senate Leader and the minister is already being interpreted as a significant step toward mending fences and rebuilding alliances ahead of the 2027 general elections.

Confirming the development, an aide to the minister, Otunba Femi Awogboro, described Senator Folarin as “an elder brother who came to visit his junior,” adding that discussions centred on party unity and reconciliation. According to him, both leaders stressed the need to bury past differences and work collectively to strengthen the APC for a stronger outing in 2027.

The visit also comes just days after Senator Folarin reportedly met with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to discuss the state of the APC in Oyo State, further fueling speculation of ongoing strategic efforts to reposition the party.

Folarin and Adelabu have shared a long-standing political rivalry since 2019, when Adelabu clinched the APC governorship ticket to succeed the late former governor, Senator Abiola Ajimobi. In the 2023 cycle, the party’s ticket returned to Folarin, prompting Adelabu to defect to Accord Party to pursue his ambition before eventually returning to the APC.

After his visit to Chief Adelabu, Senator Folarin proceeded to Ikolaba, where he met with, Distinguished Senator Hamzat Ayoade Adeseun, at his residence. Adeseun, a prominent APC figure from the Ogbomoso zone, recently received two SUVs from President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in recognition of his political contributions.

Political observers note that these developments are part of a broader wave of visitations and realignments—both within and outside Nigeria as Oyo APC leaders begin repositioning ahead of the 2027 elections.

RoundOyo will continue to monitor and report emerging details on the evolving power dynamics within the Oyo APC.