Ex-senator faults candidate selection process, says supporters were sidelined and ignored despite promises from party leaders

Former Senator representing Ogun Central and daughter of ex-President Olusegun Obasanjo, Iyabo Obasanjo, has formally resigned from the All Progressives Congress (APC), accusing the party’s Ogun State leadership of sustained marginalisation and unfair treatment.

In a resignation letter dated May 31, 2026, and addressed to the state APC Chairman, Yemi Sanusi, Obasanjo said her decision followed months of what she described as exclusion, disregard, and a flawed process that led to the emergence of Senator Solomon Adeola, popularly known as Yayi, as the party’s governorship candidate.

She took particular issue with the so-called consensus arrangement that produced Adeola, arguing that it fell short of the APC’s laid-down procedures. According to her, she had pledged to support any candidate that emerged through a credible consensus, but was neither consulted nor carried along before the announcement.

Obasanjo also alleged that some of her supporters were blocked from accessing the venue where the decision was finalised and were subjected to intimidation.

Despite her concerns, she said she chose to prioritise party unity at the time, publicly congratulating Adeola on the night he was declared candidate. She added that the candidate later engaged her supporters and promised to address their grievances, but more than two months later, no concrete response or resolution had been communicated.

The former lawmaker said the episode confirmed a broader pattern of disregard for her role and contributions within the party, ultimately leaving her with no option but to step away.

Nonetheless, Obasanjo expressed appreciation to President Bola Tinubu, the Ogun APC leadership, and other stakeholders for the opportunities and support she received during her time in the party.

Obasanjo only recently returned to frontline politics, rejoining the APC earlier this year as a member of Ward 11 in Ibogun, Ifo Local Government Area. She previously served as Ogun State Commissioner for Health between 2003 and 2007, and later as senator from 2007 to 2011.

Following her failed re-election bid in 2011, she relocated to the United States and remained largely out of the political spotlight until late 2025, when she resurfaced with a statewide campaign ahead of the 2027 governorship race—an ambition now cut short by her exit from the APC.