Former Senator representing Ogun Central and daughter of former President Olusegun Obasanjo, 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.
Her resignation marks a major development in Ogun State politics ahead of the 2027 governorship election, especially coming just months after her return to active partisan politics and her unsuccessful bid to secure the APC governorship ticket.
Prof. Obasanjo announced her decision in a resignation letter dated May 31 and addressed to the Ogun State APC Chairman, Chief Yemi Sanusi.
In the letter, she accused the party leadership of sidelining her during the process that produced Senator Solomon Adeola, popularly known as Yayi, as the APC governorship candidate for the 2027 election.
The former senator said the consensus arrangement that led to Adeola’s emergence did not follow the party’s guidelines and failed to carry all stakeholders along.
According to her, she had earlier agreed to support any candidate that emerged through a genuine consensus process. However, she claimed she was not consulted before Adeola was presented as the party’s consensus candidate.
She further alleged that some of her supporters were prevented from gaining access to the venue where the candidate was unveiled and were intimidated during the process.
Despite her concerns, Obasanjo said she accepted the outcome in the interest of party unity and publicly congratulated Adeola on the night he emerged as the APC candidate.
She explained that after the governorship primary process, Adeola reached out and requested a meeting with her supporters in an effort to foster cooperation within the party.
According to her, three requests were presented to the senator during the meeting, and he promised to provide a response within one week.
However, she said more than two months after the meeting, neither she nor her supporters received any feedback.
The former lawmaker described the situation as part of a broader pattern of disregard and lack of respect for her and her political supporters.
“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. 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, then one should leave the table. I am therefore leaving the APC table where I am not welcomed,” she stated.
Her departure from the APC comes less than two years after she returned to frontline politics following a long absence from the political scene.
Despite her criticism of the party leadership, Obasanjo expressed appreciation to some key figures within the APC.
She thanked President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the Ogun APC chairman, Chief Sanusi, and members of the Ogun Central Senatorial leadership led by Chief Soremi for the support and courtesy extended to her during her time in the party.
She first gained prominence in Ogun politics when she served as Commissioner for Health during her father’s administration as President and while the state was governed by Otunba Gbenga Daniel between 2003 and 2007.
Following her tenure as commissioner, she contested and won election to the Senate in 2007, representing Ogun Central Senatorial District.
During her time in the National Assembly, she was known for her outspoken positions on governance and public policy issues.
However, she lost her re-election bid in 2011 and subsequently relocated to the United States, where she focused on her academic and professional career.
For more than a decade, she remained largely absent from partisan politics, leading many to believe she had stepped away permanently from Nigeria’s political arena.
That perception changed in late 2025 when campaign billboards bearing her image appeared across Abeokuta and other parts of Ogun State.
The development fuelled speculation about her political ambitions and eventual return to active politics.
Shortly afterwards, she formally joined the APC after registering as a member in Ward 11, Ibogun, in Ifo Local Government Area of Ogun State.
She later declared her intention to contest the Ogun governorship election on the platform of the ruling party.
Her entry into the race attracted attention because of her political experience, professional background and family name.
However, her ambition suffered a setback when the APC adopted a consensus arrangement that eventually produced Senator Adeola as the party’s candidate.
Senator Adeola, who currently represents Ogun West in the Senate, is considered one of the leading political figures in the state and enjoys support from influential stakeholders within the party.
The circumstances surrounding the consensus process have continued to generate discussions within political circles, with some party members praising the arrangement as a strategy to maintain unity while others argue that it did not adequately accommodate all aspirants.
With her resignation now confirmed, attention is likely to shift to her next political move.
Although she has not announced whether she will join another political party or pursue her governorship ambition through a different platform, analysts believe her decision could influence political calculations ahead of the 2027 elections.
For now, Prof. Iyabo Obasanjo has ended her brief return to the APC, insisting that she can no longer remain in a party where, according to her, she feels unwanted and disrespected.
Her exit adds another chapter to the evolving political landscape in Ogun State as preparations for the next governorship election gradually gather momentum.