NewsNigeriaPolitics2027: Accord Factional Candidate Imumolen Quits Presidential Race, Endorses Tinubu

Prof. Christopher Imumolen, presidential candidate of a faction of the Accord Party, has withdrawn from the 2027 presidential race and declared his support for President Bola Tinubu’s bid for a second term.

Imumolen, who also claims the National Chairmanship of the party, announced his decision in a statement issued in Abuja on Wednesday, saying it followed extensive consultations with the leadership of his faction.

He described the decision as a patriotic sacrifice intended to place national unity, stability and development above personal political ambition.

“Following my emergence as the presidential candidate of the Accord Party during the duly conducted presidential primaries, I, in consultation with the leadership of the party, made the patriotic decision to withdraw from the presidential race and fully support the re-election of President Tinubu in the 2027 presidential election,” he said.

“This decision was not borne out of personal interest, but from a deep conviction that the unity, stability, and continued progress of Nigeria must take precedence over personal political ambition.”

Imumolen said his endorsement of Tinubu was based on 10 reasons, including what he described as similarities between the President’s reform agenda and his own manifesto.

He specifically cited economic transformation, education, youth empowerment, entrepreneurship, industrialisation and national development as areas where he said both programmes were aligned.

According to him, “His resilience and ability to navigate Nigeria’s complex political and economic landscape demonstrate uncommon courage, determination, and strategic leadership worthy of emulation.

“In Nigeria’s democratic history, President Tinubu has consistently displayed extraordinary political wisdom, foresight, and nation-building capacity that have produced transformational leaders across the country. His commitment to sustaining progressive governance through purposeful leadership, institutional reforms, and continuity provides confidence in Nigeria’s long-term growth and stability.”

Imumolen further praised Tinubu’s ability to identify capable individuals, build consensus, promote national unity and take what he described as difficult decisions in the national interest.

He said the President was uniquely positioned to provide a seamless transition between the founding generation of Nigeria’s democratic leadership and a new generation of transformational leaders.

On the economy, Imumolen acknowledged the difficulties confronting Nigerians but said he remained convinced that Tinubu’s policy direction, fiscal discipline and decisive leadership would eventually reposition the country for sustainable prosperity.

His endorsement comes as Tinubu’s administration continues to defend its economic reform programme, including the removal of the petrol subsidy and changes to the foreign-exchange regime.

The International Monetary Fund said in June that Nigeria’s reforms over the preceding three years had produced improved macroeconomic outcomes and strengthened resilience, although it noted that conditions remained difficult for many Nigerians. The IMF projected economic growth of 4.1 per cent for 2026 and said poverty and food insecurity remained major concerns.

The development also comes amid a leadership dispute within the Accord Party.

In June, a faction of the party announced Imumolen as its presidential candidate after a consensus primary held in Lagos, with the faction saying delegates from the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory participated.

However, the Independent National Electoral Commission’s current listing for Accord identifies Barrister Maxwell Mgbudem as the party’s National Chairman and Hon. Adebukola Abiola Ajaja as National Secretary.

The party’s official position has therefore remained contested, with the recognised leadership previously rejecting claims that Imumolen represented the party’s national leadership. In April, Mgbudem said Accord had not endorsed any presidential candidate at the time.

Imumolen was Accord’s presidential candidate in the 2023 general election and returned to the political spotlight in June when the faction announced his candidacy for the 2027 contest.

His decision effectively ends his campaign within the faction and adds another endorsement to Tinubu’s 2027 re-election bid, even as political parties and alliances continue to realign ahead of the presidential election.