By; BAYO AKAMO, Ibadan
Oyo State governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Senator Teslim Folarin on Wednesday, said that Nigeria deserves a leader that will look at the challenges of insecurity objectively and realistically.
The APC governorship candidate stated this in Ibadan, while speaking at the ongoing 2022 Press Week of the Oyo State Council of Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ).
Senator Folarin pointed out that Nigeria for now needs a detribalised leader and that such should be capable of looking at the challenges of insecurity objectively and realistically to allow people go about their daily engagements.
According to the APC governorship candidate, there is the need for Nigerians particularly the people of Oyo State not to allow money to be the major determining factor for voting in the 2023 polls.
The APC governorship candidate stressed that for Nigeria to move forward and be better, the time has come for citizens to take critical look at factors like background, love, patriotic tendencies and competence before voting their preferred candidates.
Senator Folarin maintained that Nigeria as a country cannot afford another experience towards disintegration of the country, emphasizing that the 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,” he said.
The APC governorship candidate added, “to me, good governance require leaders with adequate exposure, outstanding antecedent and experience, deep interactions with grassroots and education system that grows and nurtures entrepreneurship.
“It is time we recognise 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.”
Chairman of the day and APC Senatorial candidate for Oyo South Senatorial District, Barrister Sarafadeen Alli expressed worries on the looming violence in the forthcoming election allegedly arising from the act of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) loyalists in Oyo State.
Barrister Alli, accused the PDP in Oyo State of allegedly defacing APC billboards across the state, and that failure to desist from the act, might lead to faceoff between APC and PDP in the state.
The APC Senatorial candidate however urged journalists in Oyo State to be fair and accurate in their reporting, particularly during and after the 2023 elections, which he said, “is one of the determinants of the existence of the nation.
In his welcome address, the Oyo State NUJ Chairman, Comrade Ademola Babalola charged politicians to thread softly during and after the 2023 general elections.
The Oyo State NUJ Chairman frowned at the defacing of opposition billboards across the state, tasking politicians to play the game according to the rule, adding that the will of God shall prevail no matter how it can be.
Comrade Babalola then stressed that Oyo NUJ shall set up a special platform for candidates vying for various post for them to revealed their plan to the people after their emerge.
