Senator Teslim Folarin, Senator representing Oyo Central Senatorial District, has won the Governorship Primary Election of the All Progressives Congress, APC, insideoyo.com reports.
With this, Folarin is the candidate of the party for the 2023 general elections.
He defeated 5 other aspirants who contested the election held, on Friday, at Liberty Stadium, in Ibadan, the Oyo state capital.
Folarin has 954 votes, Bayo Adelabu has 327 votes.
Also Azeez Adeduntan has 2 votes, Engineer Akeem Alao has 6 votes, Barrister Hakeem Agbaje has 16 votes while 11 votes were counted invalid.
Six aspirants obtained forms and were screened by the party. Four aspirants were present at the venue of the primary. Chief Bayo Adelabu was absent.
Earlier, Chief Niyi Akintola pulled out of the primary alleging that the delegates list has been tampered with.
Akintola has also petitioned the leadership of the party stating that any primary election held on another day aside the day announced by the party is invalid.
While giving his acceptance speech, Folarin said: “With humility, gratitude, a high sense of responsibility and an undiluted resolve to Rescue Oyo State from the maladministration of the PDP-led government, I wholeheartedly accept my nomination as Oyo State Governorship Candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) for 2023 general elections.
“First of all, I solemnly give glory to Almighty Allah for His Divine Grace that catapulted me from being an aspirant to the 2023 governorship candidate of our great party.
“My most sincere gratitude to the 1,755 delegates that participated in today’s governorship primary elections. I pledge never to let you down. With continuous cooperation, understanding and support of all party members, we shall return Oyo APC to winning ways in 2023, for the betterment of the downtrodden masses and advancement of our dear state.
“My nomination by majority of our party delegates has further reinforced my conviction that God and the good people of Oyo State are indeed behind my 2023 Rescue Mission.
“I want to state that there is no victor, no vanquished in the contest for the 2023 governorship ticket of our great party as Chief (Barr.) Niyi Akintola SAN, Chief Adebayo Adelabu OFR, Chief (Dr.) Azeez Adeduntan, Barr. Akeem Agbaje and Engr. Akeem Alao are also eminently qualified to govern our dear state. We are all winners today, and together we shall take back Oyo State from the misruling PDP government in 2023.
“Only God gives powers. To this end, I enjoin my fellow contenders, their supporters and our teeming members to take ownership of the Oyo 2023 Rescue Mission project, regardless of today’s result. Let’s come together as family members to build a formidable and indivisible Oyo APC that is capable of ensuring electoral victories in 2023.
“I dedicate my nomination to the good people of Oyo State, who are yearning for a masses-oriented government, and also to my late wife (Barrister Angela Nwaka Folarin) with whom I started the 2023 Rescue Mission, but who is not alive to witness the successful outcome of today’s primary election.
“I take solace in the fact that she will be happy that our 2023 Rescue Mission train is moving at the highest speed to crush the self-serving government of PDP in Oyo State because she wanted a greater Oyo State. I also dedicate my nomination to the memories of late former governors Adebayo Alao-Akala and Abiola Ajimobi.
“Furthermore, I commend the national leadership of our great party under the able chairmanship of His Excellency Senator (Dr.) Abdullahi Adamu for appointing Distinguished Senator Tokunbo Afikuyomi-led 5-man 2022 Oyo APC Primary Election Committee that conducted today’s peaceful, credible, free and fair primary elections, which produced me as 2023 governorship candidate of our great party. Thanks for providing a level playing field for all contestants.
“Today’s exercise would not have been a successful one without the adequate monitoring of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), security coverage of the security agencies, well-coordinated media coverage by the journalists and the presence of observer groups. Thank you all for your inputs.
“I would also like to thank all stakeholders and partners who made this mandate possible. You’ll not regret your decisions to throw your weights behind my 2023 Rescue Mission in Oyo State.
“Dear Oyo APC leaders and teeming members, as we head to the 2023 general elections, we need to be more united to restore hope to the good people of Oyo State. Peace and harmony among us have become more imperative than ever to enable our party win at all levels in 2023. The Pacesetter State is in dire need of Rescue in view of the retrogression that it has witnessed in the last three years.
“I assure you all that we shall run an issue-based campaign and by God’s help win the general elections.
“Let me conclude my acceptance speech by restating my commitment to genuine reconciliation and harmonisation within the party.
“I feel humbled and honoured with the mandate.”
