Former Ogun Central senator and daughter of former President Olusegun Obasanjo, Iyabo Obasanjo, has resigned from the All Progressives Congress (APC), citing what she described as rejection and disrespect from the party’s leadership in Ogun State.
Obasanjo announced her resignation in a letter dated May 31 and addressed to the Ogun APC chairman Yemi Sanusi.
The former senator, who recently sought the party’s governorship ticket ahead of the 2027 election, criticised the consensus process that produced Senator Solomon Adeola, popularly known as Yayi, as the party’s candidate.
According to her, although she had agreed to support any candidate that emerged through a consensus arrangement, she was not consulted before Adeola was announced as the consensus candidate.
She also alleged that some of her supporters were denied access to the venue where the candidate was unveiled.
“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,” she said.
Obasanjo said she nevertheless accepted the outcome and publicly congratulated Adeola on the day he emerged as the candidate.
She added that the senator later met with her supporters and promised to respond to requests presented during the meeting within one week.
According to her, no response had been received more than two months later.
“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.
Despite her decision to leave the party, Obasanjo thanked President Bola Tinubu, Ogun APC chairman Yemi Sanusi and leaders of the party in Ogun Central for their support during her time in the APC.
Iyabo Obasanjo returned to active politics earlier this year when she registered as a member of the APC in Ward 11, Ibogun, in 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 leaving the Senate, she relocated to the United States and remained away from partisan politics until late 2025, when she indicated interest in contesting the Ogun governorship election under the APC.
