By Lawrence Agbo
Olajide Adediran, popularly known as Jandor, has stepped down from the 2027 Lagos State governorship contest on the platform of the All Progressives Congress after the emergence of Deputy Governor Obafemi Hamzat as the party’s leading choice for the race.
Jandor announced his withdrawal on Thursday during a meeting with journalists, members of the Lagos4Lagos Movement and his political supporters at Liberty House in Ikeja, Lagos.
The former governorship aspirant said recent developments within the APC, especially the endorsement of Hamzat by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, played a major role in his decision to leave the race.
According to him, shortly after obtaining his expression of interest and nomination forms, it became obvious that the party leadership had settled on a preferred direction for the governorship ticket.
“Within hours after I purchased my nomination forms, there were developments, including a meeting involving the President and the Deputy Governor. It was subsequently made known that the President had endorsed Dr. Obafemi Hamzat.
“Based on my earlier position that I will align with the direction of the President, I have decided to withdraw from the race,” he said.
He pointed to the meeting between Tinubu and Hamzat, after which the president’s support for the deputy governor became public, as a clear signal of where the party stood.
Jandor said he had previously made it known that he would respect the position of the president and align with the direction chosen by the party leadership.
He explained that withdrawing from the contest was consistent with that commitment and necessary to preserve unity within the APC ahead of the election.
The politician urged members of his support base to remain peaceful and avoid actions that could create division within the party, stressing that collective interest must come before personal ambition.
He added that his decision was rooted in loyalty to party supremacy and confidence in the APC’s internal decision-making process.
Jandor also restated his support for Tinubu and thanked party leaders in Lagos for their guidance throughout the process.
Hamzat had earlier secured the backing of the Governance Advisory Council, the top decision-making organ of the Lagos APC, led by Prince Tajudeen Olusi, with the support of Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu and other senior stakeholders.
