Ask Teslim Folarin, a Senator representing Oyo Central Senatorial District, to spell out his most cherished ambition, and he will probably tell you that he wants to be the governor of his state, Oyo. Although he became a first-time Senator at the age of 39 in 2003, his major ambition is to be the number one citizen of the state. Indeed, this is one dream he has always pursued with great determination.
But either by design or accident, the most sought-after position has so far eluded him.
He contested in 2015 under the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, but he was trounced in the election by Isiaka Abiola Ajimobi, who was then the incumbent governor.
Not one to give up easily on his dreams, the godson of the late Lamidi Adedibu, it was reliably gathered, is again working underground to realise his most cherished ambition in 2023. He has vowed to achieve it this time round, not minding the hurdles on his way.
Many will still recall that eight years after losing the return ticket as a two-term senator and majority leader of the Senate between 2007 and 2011, Folarin bounced back in 2019 when he won his seat back at the Senatorial election in Ibadan under the All Progressives Congress, APC. Folarin, erstwhile PDP chieftain had dumped the party for APC in 2017 and won the senatorial ticket of the APC.
In that keenly contested the election, he also defeated both the incumbent senator of the district and a member of the House of Representatives in Lagelu and Akinyele constituencies, Monsurat Sunmonu, of the African Democratic Congress and Temitope Olatoye (Sugar) of the Action Democratic Party.
