Hon. Folarin Fafowora has firmly denied any iota of blackmail or incitement of party members against the Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Alhaji Adegboyega Oyetola. This clarification came in response to a statement issued by one Suleiman Adigun, acting on behalf of Oyetola Reloaded 2026.
*Fafowora, who represented Ilesa West State Constituency twice between 2007 and 2015,* emphasized that no one in the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Osun State questions the fact that Oyetola is the undisputed leader of the party in the state. According to him, Oyetola is a gentleman of honour and integrity, whose selfless service to Osun and the APC is beyond reproach. He advised people like Suleiman Adigun, who are chasing personal benefits and favours, to stop fanning the flames of division within the party and learn to advise our leaders appropriately.
Speaking on the ongoing discussions about the Osun 2026 governorship candidate, Fafowora said we must learn from history to shape the future. He likened the current situation in Osun today to a battle being fought from the trenches, pointing out that reclaiming power from an incumbent is no child's play or a walk in the park. He referenced the strategy of Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, which took over two years to prepare for an election with Olagunsoye Oyinlola in 2007. We can not wake up 6months to the election and say we are ready to defeat Governor Adeleke as an opposition party, it shows unseriousness on our path.
Fafowora, *who had also served as a local government chairman in Ilesa West LCDA* stressed that for the APC to succeed, it must be ahead of the opposition in every way, through meticulous preparation, effective mobilization, and smart strategies. Our winning back Osun requires steadfastness and focus, as we are presently in the opposition and challenging an incumbent who is ready to fight tooth and nail to keep his seat.
Popularly known as “Fafoo” among his supporters, *Fafowora made a heartfelt appeal to the Minister, Gboyega Oyetola, to make his intentions for the 2026 governorship election clear without further delay.* The best time is now. According to him, leadership requires courage and clarity, and waiting too long could cause unnecessary confusion and division within the party, and there will be no direction.
*If Oyetola decides not to run, Fafowora suggested he step into the role of a true elder statesman by meeting all aspirants and assuring them of a level playing field.* This, he believes, will allow the most credible, popular, and electable candidate to emerge as the party’s flagbearer. He warned Oyetola against relying on inexperienced advisers, political neophytes, and opportunists, whom he described as selfish and disconnected from the larger interests of the party. Once you openly adopt or pick an aspirant to support, the party may disintegrate, he advised.
Hon. Fafowora, who is a staunch member of the Alubarika Movement called on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, who has always been a guiding light for Osun APC, and Baba, Chief Bisi Akande, a respected party leader, to intervene decisively. He urged them to treat Osun APC as a struggling child who needs nurturing and assistance. He proposed an opinion poll to identify the most capable candidate who can use his popularity to defeat the incumbent governor.
*Fafowora dismissed the idea of zoning in the current political climate of Osun, likening it to asking about the captain’s state of origin when the army and battalion of soldiers are about to march into battle. Can the captain deliver victory?* That is the only sensible question now? Instead, *Fafowora emphasized the importance of popularity, experience, alliances, and acceptability both within and outside the state as the essential parameters needed to pick a candidate.* He concluded that with hope and determination, Osun APC will govern the state again and move it to the next level of development as what we have now under Adeleke is backwards retrogression.
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