Obasanjo Dumps APC, Alleges Marginalisation, Unfair Treatment

Former Senator representing Ogun Central and daughter of former President Olusegun Obasanjo, Iyabo Obasanjo, has resigned from the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), citing what she described as persistent marginalisation, rejection and unfair treatment by the party leadership in Ogun State.

Obasanjo announced her decision in a resignation letter dated May 31 and addressed to the Ogun State APC Chairman, Yemi Sanusi, bringing an end to her brief return to partisan politics under the party’s platform.

The US-based epidemiologist and former lawmaker expressed dissatisfaction with the process that produced Senator Solomon Adeola, popularly known as Yayi, as the APC governorship candidate for the 2027 election.

According to her, the consensus arrangement that led to Adeola’s emergence failed to comply with the party’s established guidelines and excluded key stakeholders, including herself.

Obasanjo stated that although she had publicly committed to supporting any candidate that emerged through a transparent consensus process, she was neither consulted nor carried along before Adeola was eventually announced as the party’s preferred candidate.

She further alleged that some of her supporters were prevented from accessing the venue where the candidate was unveiled and were subjected to intimidation during the exercise.

“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.

Despite her reservations, the former senator said she accepted the outcome to preserve party unity and immediately congratulated Adeola following his emergence as the APC candidate.

She disclosed that the senator subsequently sought a meeting with her supporters, during which they presented three demands aimed at fostering reconciliation within the party. However, she claimed that despite assurances that their concerns would be addressed within a week, no response had been received more than two months later.

According to Obasanjo, the silence that followed reinforced what she described as a longstanding pattern of disregard and lack of appreciation for her contributions and political standing within the party.

“The treatment I received after the primary process reflected a recurring pattern of rejection and disrespect. After careful reflection, I have concluded that it is no longer possible for me to remain in the party,” she said.

The former lawmaker, however, expressed gratitude to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the Ogun State APC leadership and other party stakeholders for the support and courtesies extended to her during her time in the party.

Obasanjo’s resignation marks a significant development in Ogun State’s political landscape, particularly as preparations gradually gather momentum ahead of the 2027 governorship election.

Her departure comes barely months after she formally returned to active politics. Earlier this year, she registered as an APC member in Ward 11, Ibogun, in Ifo Local Government Area of Ogun State and subsequently declared her intention to contest the governorship election on the party’s platform.

Before her return, Obasanjo had largely remained outside active partisan politics for over a decade. She 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 bid for re-election in 2011, she relocated to the United States and maintained a low political profile until late 2025, when campaign billboards bearing her image began appearing across parts of Ogun State, fuelling speculation about her governorship ambition.

Those speculations were later confirmed when she joined the APC and entered the race for the party’s governorship ticket. Her resignation now raises fresh questions about her next political move and whether she will seek an alternative platform ahead of the 2027 governorship contest in Ogun State.