2027: Iyabo Obasanjo Dumps APC, Cites Disrespect, Maltreatment

Daughter of former President Olusegun Obasanjo, Prof. Iyabo Obasanjo, has resigned from the All Progressives Congress (APC), citing alleged disrespect, rejection and maltreatment by the party leadership in Ogun State.

The former Senator representing Ogun Central announced her resignation in a letter dated May 31 and addressed to the Ogun State Chairman of the party, Chief Yemi Sanusi. A copy of the letter was made available to journalists on Monday.

The former senator, who recently contested for the APC governorship ticket ahead of the 2027 elections, faulted the consensus arrangement that produced Senator Solomon Adeola as the party’s governorship candidate in Ogun State.

She said the process was not in line with APC guidelines, which require consultations and agreement among aspirants before a consensus candidate is adopted.

According to Obasanjo, despite publicly and privately pledging to abide by the party’s consensus decision, she was neither consulted nor carried along before Adeola was announced as the candidate. She also alleged that some of her supporters were prevented from entering the venue where the announcement was made.
In the letter, she wrote, “When I started the journey to get the party’s nomination for Governor, I came to see you and I said to you and everyone both privately and publicly that I will honor the party’s consensus decision once it has been made.

“When that day came, even as violence was perpetrated against my supporters to stop them from entering the venue, I maintained my calmness.

“At the venue, with no prior meeting with me as a candidate, given what the national party says in its guidelines on what consensus should be, i.e., having meetings where all candidates agree to the candidate that will be announced, a candidate was announced.

“No one acknowledged my presence at the meeting, given that I was the most prominent opposition to the candidate chosen, and I had traversed the state mobilizing and encouraging grassroots APC support.

“Based on my conviction that party unity is important, I wrote my letter accepting the party’s consensus candidate that night, even with the flawed process.”

Obasanjo said she nevertheless congratulated Adeola and pledged support for his governorship ambition in the interest of party unity.

She disclosed that Adeola later reached out and requested a meeting with her and her supporters, during which her supporters presented three requests.

According to her, “The consensus candidate called me the next morning and asked for a meeting with my followers and me, which we had about 2 weeks later.

“At that meeting, my people made 3 requests, which I said were not compulsory, but he should let me know so I would let my people know his responses, and he said I should give him a week.

“Unless he gets back to me after I send this letter, he has not reached out to me after 2 months. This is just part of the general treatment I have received from APC of disrespect and rejection, as if I were not there, making contributions that increased support for the party in Ogun Central and across the state.

“A famous person once said that when disrespect is the only dish served, then one should leave the table. I am therefore leaving the APC table where I am not welcome. This is my resignation from the party.”

Despite her grievances, Obasanjo thanked President Bola Tinubu, Chief Sanusi and Ogun Central Senatorial Chairman, Chief Soremi, for their treatment of her during her time in the party.

She wrote, “Through you, I want to thank the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria for receiving me warmly as usual, and I thank you and our Ogun Central Senatorial Chairman, Chief Soremi, as both of you treated me well, and I will always remember that. Best Regards.”

Prof. Obasanjo formally returned to partisan politics in January when she registered as an APC member in Ward 11, Ibogun, Ifo Local Government Area of Ogun State.

Her return had sparked speculation about a possible governorship bid after campaign-style billboards bearing her image appeared across Abeokuta late last year, ahead of the 2027 elections.