The All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship candidate in Oyo State, Senator Teslim Folarin, on Wednesday, stated that he would defeat the incumbent Seyi Makinde of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to secure the Government House in 2023.
He noted that even though he doesn’t have the money, he has the contacts of people who matter across political divides in Nigeria, adding that his track records of performance and the goodwill of the masses would make him to emerge the governor of the state.
“I will leverage on my potential and contacts to take over Oyo Government next year by God’s grace”, Folarin asserted.
Folarin who also revealed some steps he would take if he become the governor of the state, said he would not be a governor that will be going to Abuja to be running after monthly allocation from the Federal Government but rather rely on agriculture which according to him, should be the strength of economy of the state.
Speaking in Ibadan at the 2022 Press Week of the Nigeria Union of Journalist (NUJ), Oyo State Council, Folarin noted that the time the state progressed most was during the era of Chief Obafemi Awolowo who prioritized agriculture and education.
He maintained that for the state to get to its destination, there is need to go back to the basics which are agriculture, education and ICT.
“Oyo State has over 28,000 square meters of land, 85 percent of the land is arable, we need to build our economy around it, we need to begin to plan for the future, my deputy is an agricultural expert, we shall look at crop we have comparative advantage in, such as mango, cassava and cashew, we are going to set up a very sophisticated value system, our strenght is in agric, we must create wealth to solve our people’s problem.”
He charged people in the state never to allow money to be parameter to them on who to vote for in 2023 general elections.
He stated further that for Oyo State to move forward and be better, citizens should take critical look at some factors like background, love, patrotic tendencies and competence before voting their preferred candidates, warning that people cannot afford another experience towards disintegration of Nigeria, saying unity of the nation lies on people’s strength.
“We need detribalised leaders who will look at the challenges of insecurity objectively and realistically at the helm of affairs to allow people go about their daily engagements as evident in some states where few aspiring national leaders come from.
“To me, good governance requires leaders with adequate exposure, outstanding antecedent and experience, deep interactions with grassroots and education system that grows and nurtures entrepreneurship.
“It’s time we recognized that for us to have a Nigeria of our dream, we need to be more responsible, sensitive and responsive to the needs and aspirations of the people.”
The former Senate House Leader, who was accompanied to the occasion by the APC senatorial candidate for Oyo South Senatorial District, Chief Sharafadeen Alli, the chairman of SDM, Prince Niran Adeyanju, the APC candidate for Ibadan South West Constituency 2 of the Oyo State House of Assembly poll, Mr. Idris Bolaji Abiola-Ajimobi, among others decried the deployment of violence by some politicians in the state.
The chairman of the occasion, Barr. Sharafadeen Alli admonished journalists to be fair and accurate in their reporting particularly during and after the 2023 elections which according to him is one of the determinants of the existence of the nation.
Alli worried about impending violence that might likely come up in the forthcoming election in Oyo State allegedly initiated by PDP in the state through defacing of APC billboards across the state, saying that failure to desist from the act might leads to faceoff between APC and PDP.
Earlier in his welcome address, the Oyo NUJ chairman, Com Ademola Babalola appealed to politicians to thread softly during and after the 2023 general elections.
He frowned at tearing of opposition billboards across the state, advised that politicians should play the game according to the rule.
He however said Oyo NUJ will set up special platform for candidates vying for various posts for them to explain why and how their action plan for the people can be achieved for the greater good of the society.
