Former Ogun Central Senator, Prof. Iyabo Obasanjo, has resigned from the All Progressives Congress (APC), citing what she described as persistent rejection, disrespect and unfair treatment by the party leadership in Ogun State.
Key highlight:
Summary of Key Points
- Former Ogun Central Senator Iyabo Obasanjo has resigned from the APC, citing persistent rejection, disrespect, and unfair treatment.
- She criticized the process that produced Solomon Adeola as the party’s consensus governorship candidate, saying she was not consulted.
- Obasanjo alleged that some of her supporters were denied access to the candidate unveiling venue and faced intimidation.
- She expressed disappointment that Adeola failed to respond to requests made by her supporters despite promising to do so within a week.
- The former senator said the incidents reflected a longstanding pattern of disregard for her within the party, prompting her decision to leave.
Obasanjo, daughter of former President Olusegun Obasanjo, announced her decision in a resignation letter dated May 31 and addressed to the Ogun State APC Chairman, Chief Yemi Sanusi.
The former senator, who recently sought the APC governorship ticket ahead of the 2027 Ogun State governorship election, expressed dissatisfaction with the consensus process that produced Senator Solomon Adeola as the party’s candidate.
She alleged that despite her commitment to support any consensus candidate adopted by the party, she was neither consulted nor involved in the process that led to Adeola’s emergence.
According to her, some of her supporters were denied access to the venue where the consensus candidate was unveiled and were allegedly subjected to intimidation.
Obasanjo, however, said she accepted the outcome in the interest of party unity and publicly congratulated Adeola on the night he emerged as the party’s consensus candidate.
She disclosed that the senator later sought a meeting with her supporters, during which three requests were presented to him. According to her, Adeola promised to respond within one week, but more than two months later, no feedback had been received.
The former lawmaker said the development reinforced what she described as a longstanding pattern of disregard for her contributions and aspirations within the party.
“I agreed to support whichever candidate emerged through a consensus process, but I was not consulted before Senator Adeola was presented as the consensus candidate. Some of my supporters were denied access to the venue and intimidated.
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“Nevertheless, I accepted the outcome in the interest of party unity and publicly congratulated Senator Adeola that same night.
“Following his emergence, Senator Adeola requested a meeting with my supporters. During that meeting, three requests were made, and he promised to respond within one week. More than two months later, no response has been received.
“The treatment I have received since then has reflected a consistent pattern of rejection and disrespect. When disrespect is the only dish served, one should leave the table. I am therefore leaving the APC table where I am not welcome,” she stated.
Despite her grievances, Obasanjo expressed appreciation to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the Ogun APC leadership and other party stakeholders for the support and courtesies extended to her during her membership of the party.
Obasanjo returned to active partisan politics earlier this year when she registered as an APC member in Ward 11, Ibogun, Ifo Local Government Area of Ogun State.
She previously served as Ogun State Commissioner for Health between 2003 and 2007 and represented Ogun Central Senatorial District in the Senate from 2007 to 2011.
After losing her re-election bid in 2011, she relocated to the United States and remained largely away from partisan politics until late 2025, when campaign billboards bearing her image surfaced across Abeokuta, signaling her political comeback and governorship ambition ahead of the 2027 elections.
