Former Deputy Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Tunde Lemo, has withdrawn from the race for the Ogun State governorship and endorsed Senator Solomon Adeola, widely known as Yayi, as the All Progressives Congress consensus candidate for the 2027 election.

Lemo announced his decision in Abeokuta, explaining that it followed deep reflection and extensive consultations with party leaders and stakeholders across Ogun’s three senatorial districts. He framed the move as a strategic sacrifice aimed at strengthening party unity and consolidating recent gains in the state.

Describing his withdrawal as a “calculated realignment,” Lemo stressed that he was not abandoning public service but repositioning himself to support a broader collective project. He said the APC leadership and key elders had reached a consensus that Adeola was best placed to build on the achievements of Governor Dapo Abiodun and accelerate Ogun’s push to become Nigeria’s leading industrial and innovation hub.

According to Lemo, the consensus arrangement is designed to reduce internal rivalry, bridge longstanding political divides and present a united front ahead of the 2027 polls. He warned that persistent fragmentation within the progressive fold had repeatedly weakened the party’s momentum and cost it valuable opportunities.

Lemo urged his supporters and political structures across all 20 local government areas to transfer their loyalty and energy to Adeola’s campaign. He pledged to deploy his expertise in finance, enterprise development and public policy to help craft a robust governance agenda and support effective implementation if the APC retains power in the state.

He also appealed to party members to prioritise the long-term interests of Ogun over personal ambitions, insisting that the coming contest should be viewed as a referendum on the state’s future trajectory rather than a clash of individual egos.

Lemo’s declaration followed the formal adoption of Adeola as the party’s governorship flag bearer by the Ogun APC at a strategic caucus meeting held at the party secretariat in Abeokuta. The session, chaired by state party chairman Yemi Sanusi, endorsed Adeola as the preferred candidate to lead the party into the 2027 general elections.

With Lemo’s withdrawal and endorsement, party insiders say the APC is moving closer to a unified front, reducing the likelihood of a bruising primary and setting the stage for an early, coordinated campaign across the state.