Teslim Folarin

Teslim Folarin
OFR
Folarin in 2014
Senator for Oyo Central
In office
11 June 2019 – 11 June 2023
Preceded byMonsurat Sunmonu
Succeeded byYunus Akintunde
In office
3 June 2003 – 6 June 2011
Preceded byLekan Balogun
Succeeded byAyoade Ademola Adeseun
Personal details
Born (1963-10-30) 30 October 1963 (age 61)
Ibadan, Western Region (now in Oyo State), Nigeria
Political partyAll Progressive Congress (2017–present)
Other political
affiliations		Peoples Democratic Party (1998–2017)
Spouse
Angela Folarin
​
(died 2022)​
[1]
EducationMethodist Boys' High School, Lagos
Alma materUniversity of Ibadan (B.Sc. (Hons))
Harvard University
OccupationPolitician

Teslim Kolawole Folarin OFR (Listenⓘ; born 30 October 1963) is a Nigerian politician,[1] he was the gubernatorial candidate of the All Progressives Congress in Oyo State for the 2023 gubernatorial election which he lost to the incumbent governor Seyi Makinde.[2] He previously served as the senator representing Oyo Central senatorial district from 2003 to 2011; and from 2019 to 2023.

Early life and education

Teslim Kolawole Folarin was born on 30 October 1963, to Alhaji and Alhaja Hamzat Folarin. He stemmed from Baale House in Oja Igbo area of Ibadan North-East Local Government area of Oyo State. Folarin is the Head (Mogaji) of his family House and a ranked traditional Chief in Ibadanland. He is the Laguna Olubadan of Ibadanland.[3]

Folarin attended primary school in Lagos; his secondary education was completed at Nigeria's premier secondary school, Methodist Boys' High School, Lagos. Folarin holds a B.Sc. (Hons) degree in political science from the University of Ibadan[4] and a diploma degree from Harvard University,[citation needed] USA. He spent some years gathering valuable civil service experience in the UK, including management roles at the Department of Trade[citation needed] in London before returning to Nigeria in 2002. Folarin performed his obligatory NYSC tenure in Kaduna and joined politics thereafter.[3]

Political career

Folarin contested and won the senatorial seat to represent Oyo Central in 2003 at the age of 39 on the platform of the PDP and was re-elected for a second term in 2007 on the platform of the same party. Folarin remains the only legislator in Oyo State who has served two terms at the Senate. At the Senate, he was appointed Leader of the Senate. Folarin also served on the Senate Committee on Business & Rules, Marines and Transport although his particular interests were in education, power supply and water resources. Folarin was involved in the Power probe in 2008. As the Leader of the Senate, he led debates on all Executives Bills and sponsored several private Bills himself.[5] These included the Insurance Act, Armed Forces Pension Act and several others.

Folarin won the gubernatorial ticket of his party, Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in 2014.[6] He lost the election to the incumbent Governor Senator Abiola Ajimobi of the All Progressives Congress.

Folarin defected to the opposition party All Progressives Congress in December 2017.[7]

Folarin was elected as the All Progressives Congress (APC) Oyo Central senatorial candidate in September 2018.[8]

Folarin won the senatorial position in the 2019 Oyo central senatorial district election defeating the incumbent senator, Mrs. Monsurat Sunmonu and other candidates.[9] He is the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Local Content in the 9th Senate. He also sits on several other committees including National Intelligence, INEC, Interparliamentary, Constitutional Review, Finance, Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) and Airforce.

Folarin contested in the 2023 Oyo State gubernatorial election on the platform of All Progressives Congress but lost to the incumbent Governor Seyi Makinde of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).[10]

Controversy

In 2011, Folarin, and three others were charged with a murder of trade union activist Lateef Salako.[11]

Personal life

Folarin was married to Barr. Angela Folarin until her death in 2022, they had children.[12][1][13]

References

  1. ^ a b c Badru, Adeola (28 January 2022). "Oyo senator, Teslim Folarin, loses wife". Vanguard. Retrieved 29 August 2024.
  2. ^ "Teslim Folarin emerges Oyo APC governorship candidate". Premium Times. 28 May 2022. Retrieved 10 September 2022.
  3. ^ a b "Just Believe 2015 :: Senator (Oloye) Teslim Kolawole Folarin for Governor, Oyo State, Nigeria". Archived from the original on 20 May 2015. Retrieved 25 April 2015.
  4. ^ "Folarin to deliver 2021 UI alumni lecture, to be honoured with award of excellence". Vanguard. 27 August 2021. Retrieved 28 February 2022.
  5. ^ "Who is Afraid of Senator Teslim Folarin?". Leadership. Archived from the original on 1 December 2014. Retrieved 25 April 2015.
  6. ^ Lawal, Iyabo (26 January 2015). "PDP leaders mobilise support for Jonathan, Folarin in Oyo". The Guardian. Retrieved 29 August 2024.
  7. ^ Wande, S-Davies (13 December 2017). "'Mother of all defections': Alao-Akala, Folarin, Adigun, Arapaja, others officially join APC in Oyo". Nigerian Tribune. Retrieved 29 August 2024.
  8. ^ Babatunde, Aishat (25 February 2019). "Teslim Folarin Wins Oyo Central Senatorial Seat". Retrieved 29 August 2024.
  9. ^ Adebayo, Musliudeen (25 February 2019). "Ex-Senate Leader, Teslim Folarin wins Oyo central senatorial seat". Retrieved 29 August 2024.
  10. ^ "Inec declare Seyi Makinde as winner of Oyo state govnorship election". BBC News Pidgin. Retrieved 21 March 2023.
  11. ^ "Nigeria Senate leader Teslim Folarin on murder charge". BBC News. 5 January 2011. Retrieved 29 August 2024.
  12. ^ "Teslim Folarin Remembers Late Wife, Angela, on Her 50th Posthumous Birthday". This Day. 28 July 2024. Retrieved 29 August 2024 – via PressReader.
  13. ^ Adeniran, Dare (21 May 2017). "Many People Don't Know I WEas Born & Bred in Ibadan - Senator's Teslim Folarin Wife, Angela". City People Magazine.

Notes

  1. ^ Abaribe was elected as a member of the PDP but switched to the APC in May 2022.
  2. ^ Abbo was elected as a member of the PDP but switched to the APC in November 2020.
  3. ^ Akpan was elected as a member of the PDP but switched to the YPP in July 2022.
  4. ^ The PDP's Ekpenyong was elected senator in 2019 but a Court of Appeal partially annulled the results and called a supplementary election in the affected areas. Ekpenyong won the ensuing rerun election and was sworn-in again in January 2020.
  5. ^ Oduah was elected as a member of the PDP but switched to the APC in August 2021 before returning to the PDP in April 2022.
  6. ^ Jika was elected as a member of the APC but switched to the NNPP in June 2022.
  7. ^ Bulkachuwa was elected as a member of the APC but switched to the PDP in November 2022.
  8. ^ Gumau was elected as a member of the APC but switched to the NNPP in May 2022.
  9. ^ The PDP's Douye Diri was elected senator in 2019 but resigned in February 2020 after winning election to become Bayelsa State Governor. Cleopas won the ensuing bye-election and took office in December 2020.
  10. ^ The PDP's Lawrence Ewhrudjakpo was elected senator in 2019 but resigned in February 2020 after winning election to become Bayelsa State Deputy Governor. Dickson won the ensuing bye-election and took office in December 2020.
  11. ^ a b In April 2022, Adamu and Kyari resigned from the Senate after taking APC party offices the month prior.
  12. ^ The PDP's Rose Okoji Oko was elected senator in 2019 but died in March 2020. Jarigbe and fellow PDP member Stephen Odey fought in court over the ensuing by-election's PDP nomination; Odey won both initial court decisions and the by-election before taking office late in December 2020. However, Jarigbe later won several court challenges which declared him the legitimate PDP nominee and thus senator. Jarigbe took office in September 2021.
  13. ^ Nwaoboshi was elected as a member of the PDP but switched to the APC in June 2021.
  14. ^ Alimikhena was elected as a member of the APC but switched to the PDP in June 2022.
  15. ^ The APC's Adedayo Clement Adeyeye was elected senator in 2019 but the NASS Election Petition Tribunal awarded and Court of Appeal affirmed the win to Olujimi. She took office in November 2019.
  16. ^ Onyewuchi was elected as a member of the PDP but switched to the LP in June 2022.
  17. ^ Due to disputes over alleged irregularities, the APC's Benjamin Uwajumogu was not sworn in until July 2019. Uwajumogu died in December 2019 leading to a bye-election. After disputes, Ibezim was awarded the bye-election victory and took office in April 2021.
  18. ^ Due to disputes over the alleged forced declaration of his election, Okorocha was not sworn in until June 14, 2019.
  19. ^ Shekarau was elected as a member of the APC but switched to the NNPP in May 2022 then to the PDP in August 2022.
  20. ^ Babba Kaita was elected as a member of the APC but switched to the PDP in April 2022.
  21. ^ Aliero was elected as a member of the APC but switched to the PDP in May 2022.
  22. ^ Abdullahi was elected as a member of the APC but switched to the PDP in June 2022.
  23. ^ The PDP's Dino Melaye was elected senator in 2019 but Adeyemi petitioned against the results and the NASS Election Petition Tribunal annulled the results and called a new election. Adeyemi won the ensuing rerun election and took office in December 2019.
  24. ^ The APC's Adebayo Osinowo was elected senator in 2019 but died in June 2020. Abiru won the ensuing bye-election and took office in December 2020.
  25. ^ Akwashiki was elected as a member of the APC but switched to the SDP in July 2022.
  26. ^ The APC's David Umaru was elected senator in 2019 but the Supreme Court awarded the APC primary win to Musa making him senator. He took office in July 2019.
  27. ^ Balogun was elected as a member of the PDP but switched to the APC in May 2022.
  28. ^ The APC's Ignatius Datong Longjan was elected senator in 2019 but died in February 2020. Daduut won the ensuing bye-election and took office in December 2020.
  29. ^ The APC's Abubakar Shehu Tambuwal was elected senator in 2019 but a Court of Appeal awarded the win to Abdullahi Danbaba. He took office in November 2019 as a member of the PDP but switched to the APC in April 2022.
  30. ^ Bwacha was elected as a member of the PDP but switched to the APC in February 2022.
  31. ^ a b c Prior to inauguration, the APC's Zamfara votes were voided due to improper holding of party primaries. Thus the PDP runners-up took office. All three (Anka, Hassan Muhammed Gusau, Yaú) switched to the APC in June 2021. In February 2022, Muhammed Gusau resigned to become Zamfara Deputy Governor.