By Adesakin Adefemi
Former Deputy Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Tunde Lemo, has withdrawn from the Ogun State governorship race and declared support for Senator Solomon Adeola, popularly known as Yayi, as the All Progressives Congress consensus candidate for the 2027 election.
Lemo announced the decision in a statement released on Wednesday in Abeokuta. He said the move followed deep reflection and wide consultations with party leaders and stakeholders across the state.
The former banker described the withdrawal as a calculated realignment in the broader interest of the party and the state. “This is not a retreat from service. It is a deliberate, strategic alignment for the greater good,” he said.
Lemo expressed confidence in the APC leadership’s judgment, stating that party elders believe Adeola has the capacity to consolidate the gains of the current administration under Governor Dapo Abiodun. He added that Adeola can position Ogun State as Nigeria’s industrial and innovation hub.
According to him, the consensus arrangement was also designed to foster unity across the state’s three senatorial zones and strengthen the party’s overall electoral prospects ahead of the next general elections.
Reflecting on past political outcomes, Lemo warned against disunity within the party. “For too long, fragmentation has cost progressives momentum. We must close ranks. Leaders must lead by example, not by insisting on self, but by enabling strength,” he said.
He called on his supporters and political structures across Ogun State’s 20 local government areas to mobilise fully behind Adeola’s campaign. Lemo pledged to deploy his background in finance, enterprise, and public policy to support the party’s victory and effective governance.
The former CBN deputy governor thanked the APC national and state leadership, traditional rulers, and the people of Ogun State for their continued confidence in him. He urged stakeholders to focus on the state’s future rather than individual ambitions.
“The contest ahead is not about individuals. It is about Ogun’s future. Let us be on the right side of history, united, focused, and victorious,” Lemo said. The declaration came two days after the Ogun APC formally adopted Adeola as its governorship candidate at a strategic caucus meeting presided over by state chairman Yemi Sanusi in Abeokuta on Monday.
