Contrary to reports circulating in some sections of the media, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s meeting with former Senate Leader, Sen. Teslim Folarin, at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, was not convened to discuss the 2027 Oyo State governorship race or endorse any aspirant for the office.
Credible sources familiar with the meeting disclosed that Sen. Folarin attended the meeting in his capacity as the Oyo State Renewed Hope Ambassador. According to the sources, the President’s concern was the need to reinvigorate the activities of the Renewed Hope movement in Oyo State, which remains the only state where the initiative has witnessed little or no significant activity in recent times.
The sources further explained that discussions centred on strategies for strengthening the Renewed Hope agenda across Oyo State and ensuring that President Tinubu secures overwhelming support in the state during the 2027 presidential election, with focus entirely on consolidating support for the President’s re-election and expanding grassroots mobilisation.particularly as Gov. Seyi Makinde will be on the ballot as presidential candidate.
The sources categorically denied claims that the President directed Folarin to support any governorship aspirant or mandated him to reconcile aggrieved APC leaders over the emergence of a governorship candidate. They described such reports as speculative and lacking any factual basis, insisting that no discussions were held on the governorship contest or any other elective office.
According to the sources, the meeting should not be interpreted as an endorsement of any individual for the Oyo APC governorship ticket, as the issue did not feature in the conversation. They urged party members and the public to disregard reports suggesting otherwise and to rely only on verified information regarding the outcome of the meeting.
