Monday, June 8, 2026 - Former Ogun Central senator and daughter of former President
Olusegun Obasanjo, Iyabo Obasanjo, has resigned her membership of the All
Progressives Congress, APC, alleging sustained marginalisation, rejection and
unfair treatment by the party leadership in Ogun State.
Obasanjo, who recently sought the APC governorship ticket in
Ogun State, announced her decision in a resignation letter dated May 31 and
addressed to the state party chairman, Yemi Sanusi.
The US-based epidemiologist and former lawmaker criticised
the process that produced Solomon Adeola, popularly known as Yayi, as the
party’s governorship candidate, arguing that the consensus arrangement did not
align with the APC’s established guidelines.
According to her, while she had agreed to support any
candidate that emerged through a consensus process, she was neither consulted
nor involved before Adeola was eventually announced as the party’s preferred
candidate.
She further alleged that some of her supporters were denied
access to the venue where the candidate was unveiled and were subjected to
intimidation during the exercise.
Despite her concerns, Obasanjo said she accepted the outcome
in the interest of party unity and immediately congratulated Adeola following
his emergence as the candidate.
She disclosed that the senator later requested a meeting
with her supporters, during which they presented three demands. However, she
claimed that despite a promise to respond within a week, no feedback had been
received more than two months later.
The former senator said the development reinforced what she
described as a recurring pattern of disregard and lack of appreciation for her
role within the party.
“I committed myself to supporting any candidate that emerged
through a consensus arrangement, but I was not consulted before Senator Adeola
was announced. Some of my supporters were denied entry to the venue and
intimidated. Nevertheless, I accepted the decision in the interest of unity and
publicly congratulated him that same night,” she stated.
She added that although Adeola later met with her supporters
and promised to address issues raised during the meeting, no response had been
forthcoming.
According to Obasanjo, the treatment she received after the
primary reflected persistent rejection and disrespect, which ultimately
influenced her decision to leave the party.
She, however, expressed appreciation to President Bola
Tinubu, the Ogun APC leadership and party stakeholders for the support and
courtesies extended to her during her time in the APC.
Obasanjo returned to partisan politics earlier this year
when she registered as an APC member in Ward 11, Ibogun, in Ifo Local
Government Area of Ogun State.
She previously served as Ogun State Commissioner for Health
between 2003 and 2007 before representing Ogun Central Senatorial District in
the Senate from 2007 to 2011.
Following her unsuccessful re-election bid in 2011, she
relocated to the United States and largely stayed away from active politics
until late 2025, when campaign billboards bearing her image appeared across
parts of Ogun State, signalling a possible return ahead of the 2027
governorship race.
She subsequently declared her ambition to contest the Ogun
governorship election on the platform of the APC before eventually announcing
her resignation from the party.
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