Lagos APC governorship aspirant, Samuel Ajose, has withdrawn from the Lagos State governorship race and declared his support for the Deputy Governor of Lagos State, Obafemi Hamzat, ahead of the next election.
Ajose made the announcement on Tuesday while speaking to his supporters in Lagos, explaining that the decision came after careful consideration and in the interest of unity and collective progress.
He said that although stepping down was difficult, he eventually found peace with the choice after reflecting on what would best serve everyone involved.
“I know it is a very tough decision. I still struggled with it overnight, too. But when I woke up in the morning, I had my peace,” he said.
He emphasized that his main concern was the broader interest of the people and ensuring inclusiveness in the political process.
“Everything that everybody will benefit from, even if I won’t be the governor, you are still going to benefit because you have made sure that you took care of the interests of everybody. And I think that’s the best,” Ajose stated.
Formally announcing his withdrawal, he said he would now support Hamzat and actively participate in his campaign structure.
“In the interest of the party, I, Dr Samuel Mawuyon Ajose, have decided that I will let go. I will support Dr. Hamzat, and we are going to be part of his campaign, and we are going to take a very important position in his campaign,” he added.
His withdrawal comes shortly after another former Lagos governorship contender, Abdul-Azeez Adediran (Jandor), also stepped down and endorsed Hamzat.
Jandor explained that his decision followed the endorsement of Hamzat by President Bola Tinubu and Lagos APC leaders.
“Following the endorsement of Dr. Kadiri Hamzat by our Leader, the President of Nigeria, and Leaders of our party in Lagos, and in recognition of the prevailing realities within the political landscape of our great party, I have decided to withdraw from the 2027 Lagos State gubernatorial race,” he said.
The former PDP candidate described his withdrawal as a sacrifice for party unity and reaffirmed his loyalty to the APC leadership.