On 2022 Independence Day, October 1st, the All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship candidate in Oyo State and senator representing Oyo Central senatorial district, Senator Teslim Folarin hosted and fielded questions from Mayor Isaac Brown and his Political Circuit gang of Fresh FM Ibadan 105.9HZ presents some of the key takeaways from the special encounter.
It was Senator Folarin’s first live interview on Fresh FM Ibadan 105.9HZ.
Here are the 45 strong takeaways From the exclusive interview.
1. GSM government on security is absolute disaster. Insecuirty is caused majorly by two things. The first one entails of crimes such as arm robbery, banditry and kidnapping. The second is the one sponsored by state government by appointment of drug induced, ex-convict, scumbag and a low-life person into government agency. During Ajimobi regime it was zero tolerance and we will emulate that.
2. Amotekun is not the state concept but a regional concept and the government failed in creating a nexus between the police and the Amotekun. This has contributed to low morale of the national recognized security outfits in the state
3. Education is in monumental disaster. Oyo state scored 33rd position and I gave the teachers credit for even coming 33rd because the education sector is non-existence. Ask if the government can send their wards to those schools.
4. Government must motivate the teachers not only employ them, employment is the foundation.
5. 400,000 children are out of school but the government brought back only 40,000. This is tremendously low.
6. Infrastructure- are you whinning me or what? No administration has done what Ajimobi did. The quality of the ones done by Makinde administration are nothing to write home about. The Iseyin road is a typical example.
7. Terminus- when I get to government, we will look for something else to do with it that will be more beneficial to the generality of the state. The money spent on it would have been better utilized in training teachers and getting them motivated for better output
8. We will look for expert to get us what better things to do with that structures, imagine if that money were used to build schools, renovate schools and motivate teachers.
9 Though defective, I give GSM credit for the remodeling of the Adamasingba stadium as sport is a rallying point for our youths
10. Agriculture- 84% of the land in Oyo state is arable, we are not taking advantage of the land we possess. We will look at agriculture again and develop very sophisticated value chain that will help farmers get access to international market
11. On Asiwaju meeting with Wike, Makinde: In fact, I want the opposition to work for Asiwaju. Asiwaju has updated me what transpired at the meetings. He is a party man.
12. Muslim-muslim ticket- politics is a game of number, it’s about winning. For APC, it is all about good governance, hence the choice is about votes.
13. Choice of Deputy in the State- Dr. Okunola is our choice and the reasons are these: he is from the biggest LG in Oke-ogun (Saki west) and the elites likes him. His brother is the CAN chairman in Oke-Ogun, hence Christians have been given a voice to reckon with. He is a lecturer and an agricultural expert. He has been doing a lot for us in Agricultural sector policies to be executed and he is going to lead us on how to manage tertiary education, being his area of professionalism and practice. He is popular among student and CAN is happy about his choice.
14. I have been in politics and operating at a very early age, I become a senator at 39 years of age and a senate leader. I used that to build contacts and I achieve result through me being surrounded by good politicians.
15. APC is an hybrid that have elements of all political parties in Nigeria, where all party members have equal rights. I joined the party in December 2020 while my younger brother (Chief Adelabu Adebayo) joined our party three months to 2019 elections.
16. You must have a godfather in politics, they stand in the position of leaders.
17. 2015 was a learning process where I contested against super big boys.
18. PDP is more fragmented than APC, we have gained winners from PDP. You can cross-check this from the last two elections in Oyo State.
19. Unity forum is now with us, with Prof Adeolu Akande promising to join us when he gets back from abroad.
20. I have an ambition to govern the state because I have tangible things to offer the state
21. Jagba is as a result of working hard. In politics there is always a winner.
22. I have respect for Barrister Niyi Akintola and I liked Adelabu Bayo
23. In 2015, I got my rightful position out of the contest in 2015.
24. In Oyo state politics of today, I am the most experienced even more than the governor.
25. It is quite regrettable that people left the party but we will surely talk with them
26. To settle conflict in the party, we have brought together the LAMIST, LADOJA’S, AJIMOBI and AKALA people. We have 3 former deputies with us, Engr, Olaniyan, Iyiola Oladokun and the third will be with us in our next outing.
27. I don’t have control over people that lost the tickets and moved out of the party, we have strong people that lost the ticket and are still with us like Hon. Subair
28. Asiwaju is a star player, it’s a blessing we have his people with us.
29. I didn’t pick people that won the APC ticket, as people who are not with us also won the ticket. The contest was a free and fair one.
30. The legislators are there to collaborate for good governance not to fight the executives
31. I can tell you 90% of the court cases has been withdrawn, you can quote me on this. Reconciliation is still on going.
32. Sarafadeen being a strong politician won on his own being a strong politician, an evidence that the process was not controlled by me. Sarafadeen, Sadipe, Skimeh and some others fought us for over 2 years, so people should even applaud me for this transparency.
33. We would win and win well.
34. This present government in Oyo state was put together by coalition and 90% of the coalition members are now with APC, a message has been passed across.
35. ASIWAJU is the change and he is the MESSI of APC.
36. The western crisis is also a major factor that has hinder the growth of governance in the country
37. I am a nice guy.
38. Significant projects have been done like the 100-bed Mother-Child Specialist Hospital in Ona-Ara LGA, which is to be linked to UCH. The only health facility in the area
39. There is no LGA under my jurisdiction that I have not built ICT center, as ICT is the future of the youth and economy as a whole
40. I do other things aside politics, I am into estate management, of course politics is big in my life.
41. I am an employer of labour, as people work for me in my business empire.
42. About the transformer saga, investigative journalism should be done by you professionals in the field. I am quite disappointed that you journalist also believe this story
43. ON ELEWEOMO: The wrong accusation was politically-motivated. I had no hand in his death. Nobody pressed charge against me. I don’t have buses in the park, what is my business in motor parks. The people involved in the stories have all come out to say I know nothing about it. If I had a hand in it, I wouldn’t be walking freely today.
44. We have made tremendous progress in the reconciliation move in APC.
45. The primary responsibility of a legislator is to make laws and ensure good governance. We can also make interventions.
