The factional presidential candidate and National Chairman of the Accord Party, Christopher Imumolen, has withdrawn from the 2027 presidential race and endorsed President Bola Tinubu for a second term.
Imumolen said Tinubu was well positioned to win the 2027 presidential election, citing the President’s reforms, leadership style and growing support across the country.
NEWSNGR reports that Imumolen made this known at a news conference in Lagos on Friday, where he formally announced his decision to step down from the presidential race.
The Accord leader said the decision followed extensive consultations with the leadership and members of the party.
He stressed that national interest must always take precedence over personal ambition and partisan considerations.
Imumolen said Tinubu’s re-election was becoming inevitable because Nigerians were gradually beginning to appreciate the long-term benefits of the administration’s reform agenda, despite the economic difficulties confronting the country.
He said the President had introduced programmes aimed at improving the lives of Nigerians and had continued to receive support from different parts of the country.
“Tinubu will win because of his people-oriented programmes and the massive support he has received from different parts of the country.
“There is focus. Let us forget about the challenges of inflation and security. There must be progress.
“If another person comes in 2027, he will have to start all over again.
“There must be continuity. He has identified the challenges and we need to move from where we are to the next phase. That is why we are supporting him and he will win. My support is total,” Imumolen said.
Why Accord Endorsed Tinubu
The former presidential aspirant explained that the decision to support Tinubu was based on a 10-point consideration reached after reviewing the administration’s performance and Nigeria’s future development needs.
According to him, the President’s reform agenda was also closely aligned with the manifesto he had presented to Nigerians, particularly in the areas of economic transformation, education, youth empowerment, entrepreneurship, industrialisation and national development.
Imumolen said the first three reasons for the endorsement were Tinubu’s courage in implementing difficult economic reforms, his demonstrated leadership capacity and his commitment to progressive governance through continuity in development projects.
He listed deliberate youth empowerment, efforts to bridge generational leadership gaps and the appointment of competent Nigerians to strategic public offices as the fourth, fifth and sixth reasons.
The seventh, eighth and ninth reasons, he said, were the President’s decision to place national interest above personal ambition, the need for policy continuity and political stability, as well as the importance of sustaining ongoing reforms.
He also said the party considered its early endorsement of Tinubu a demonstration of transparency.
The 10th reason, according to him, was the belief that collaboration in the national interest would strengthen democracy and accelerate national development.
‘No Opposition Candidate Has Stronger Prospect’
Imumolen further declared that no opposition presidential candidate, including those expected to contest under the African Democratic Congress and the National Democratic Congress, had a stronger prospect of defeating Tinubu in 2027.
He said the President had also demonstrated confidence in young Nigerians by appointing them to strategic positions in government.
According to him, such appointments had provided opportunities for younger Nigerians to contribute meaningfully to governance and national development.
He commended the administration for what he described as its deliberate effort to involve the younger generation in leadership.
Imumolen maintained that his political aspiration had always been motivated by a desire to serve Nigeria and not merely by the ambition to occupy public office.
He said the decision to withdraw from the presidential race was therefore consistent with his belief that national interest should come before personal political ambitions.
The Accord leader also stressed the importance of continuity in governance, saying it was necessary to attract investments, create jobs, strengthen institutions and sustain reforms already underway across the country.
He explained that the party announced its endorsement ahead of the 2027 election to demonstrate openness and give its members and supporters clear direction.
Imumolen dismissed suggestions that the endorsement was a result of the Accord Party’s weak political structures.
He insisted that the decision was not based on political weakness but on the party’s assessment of the administration’s performance and what it considered to be in the best interest of Nigeria.
He maintained that the party’s support for Tinubu was driven by national interest, continuity and the need to sustain development efforts rather than by personal or partisan considerations.
