Mr Samuel Ajose, the All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship aspirant in Lagos State, has disclosed what led to his withdrawal from the race in the state, news.ng reports.
Recall that Ajose, who was among the top contenders vying for the party’s governorship ticket, vowed to participate in the primary even though the governor of the state, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, and President Bola Ahmed Tinubu had endorsed the deputy governor, Obafemi Hamzat, as the party’s candidate ahead of the 2027 gubernatorial election.
But Ajose, in an interview on Channels Television on Wednesday night, said he heeded the advice of the party leaders to avoid getting himself into trouble.
According to him, his agenda was to let the party know that it is time for the people of Badagry to have a feel of governance in the state but that now was not yet the right time.
He said, “And when your elders are talking to you, you have to listen. Like I said once again, you can’t work in isolation. The party is saying this is what they want.
“And if you are going to work under the rules and tenets and constitution of the party, I think you just have to listen to them, so that you don’t get yourself into trouble. You don’t want to push an agenda, and at the end of the day, without the support of the leadership, I don’t think you will get anywhere.”
He added that he consulted relevant stakeholders within the party in the state.
“So, if the leadership at the top are saying this is what they want now, I think we have to let it go. I spoke with everybody I need to speak with,” Ajose added.
Recall that after Hamzat was endorsed by the president and the governor, another aspirant, Mr Abdul-Azeez Adediran, popularly known as Jandor, also withdrew from the race.
According to him, his decision to withdraw was in the interest of the party’s unity.
He said, “This decision is not borne out of weakness or a lack of capacity, but out of strength, discipline, and a deep respect for party cohesion and unity.”
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