Ex-CBN deputy gov Lemo steps down, backs Yayi for Ogun governorship

Former Deputy Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Tunde Lemo, has stepped back from his governorship ambition in Ogun State, throwing his weight behind Senator Solomon Adeola, popularly known as Yayi, as the All Progressives Congress consensus candidate for the 2027 election.

Lemo made the announcement in a statement released on Wednesday in Abeokuta.

He said the decision came after “deep reflection and wide consultations” with party leaders and stakeholders across the state.

The former banker described it 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, noting that party elders believe Adeola has the capacity to consolidate the gains of the current administration under Governor Dapo Abiodun and position Ogun State as Nigeria’s industrial and innovation hub.

He added that the consensus arrangement was also designed to foster unity across the state’s three senatorial zones, strengthening the party’s overall electoral prospects.

Reflecting on the cost of disunity, Lemo issued a rallying call to fellow party members.

“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 spread across the state’s 20 local government areas to mobilise fully behind Adeola’s campaign, pledging to deploy his background in finance, enterprise, and public policy to support the party’s victory and effective governance.

Lemo thanked the APC national and state leadership, traditional rulers, and the people of Ogun State for their continued confidence in him, while urging all stakeholders to keep their eyes on the bigger prize.

“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,” he said.

Lemo’s declaration came two days after the Ogun APC formally adopted Adeola as its governorship candidate for the 2027 general elections.

The decision was announced at a state strategic caucus meeting presided over by the state party chairman, Yemi Sanusi, and held at the party secretariat in Abeokuta on Monday.