BREAKING: Iyabo Obasanjo Quits APC, Alleges Persistent Disrespect, Maltreatment

Iyabo Obasanjo

BREAKING: Iyabo Obasanjo Quits APC, Alleges Persistent Disrespect, Maltreatment

Abeokuta, Nigeria – Former Senator and daughter of ex-President Olusegun Obasanjo, Prof. Iyabo Obasanjo, has resigned from the All Progressives Congress (APC) , citing what she described as persistent disrespect, rejection, and unfair treatment by the party leadership in Ogun State.

The former governorship aspirant announced her decision in a resignation letter dated May 31, 2026, addressed to the Ogun State APC Chairman, Chief Yemi Sanusi. The resignation comes barely six months after she joined the party and just two months after she lost the APC’s governorship ticket for the 2027 election.

In her resignation letter, Obasanjo quoted a famous saying to drive home her point: “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 welcomed. This is my resignation from the party.”

The United States-based Associate Professor of Epidemiology expressed strong dissatisfaction with the consensus arrangement that produced Senator Solomon Olamilekan Adeola, popularly known as Yayi, as the APC governorship candidate for the 2027 election in Ogun State. According to her, while she had agreed to support any candidate that emerged through a consensus process, she was neither consulted nor involved before Adeola was announced as the party’s preferred candidate.

“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,” she stated in her letter.

Obasanjo further alleged that some of her supporters were denied access to the venue where the consensus candidate was unveiled and were subjected to intimidation during the exercise.

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

She also lamented that her presence and contributions were not acknowledged despite her extensive grassroots mobilisation efforts across Ogun State.

“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,” she added.

Despite her reservations, Obasanjo said she accepted the outcome in the interest of party unity and immediately issued a statement congratulating the consensus candidate that same night.

The former Ogun State Commissioner for Health disclosed that Senator Adeola subsequently contacted her and requested a meeting with her supporters. During that meeting, her supporters made three requests, which she described as non-compulsory. Adeola reportedly promised to respond within one week.

However, more than two months later, Obasanjo expressed disappointment that she had received no feedback.

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

Despite her decision to leave the ruling party, Obasanjo expressed appreciation to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and some party leaders for the cordial relationship she enjoyed during her brief stay in the APC.

“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,” she wrote.

Obasanjo’s political comeback was brief but eventful. She formally joined the APC in January 2026, registering as a member in Ward 11, Ibogun, in Ifo Local Government Area of Ogun State, signaling her return to active politics after years away from the political scene. Her return had sparked political discussions across the state after campaign billboards bearing her image surfaced in Abeokuta in late 2025, signalling her intention to contest the 2027 governorship election.

Obasanjo had previously served as Ogun State Commissioner for Health from 2003 to 2007 and represented Ogun Central Senatorial District in the Senate from 2007 to 2011. After losing her re-election bid in 2011, she relocated to the United States and largely stayed away from partisan politics until her recent return.

The APC had adopted Senator Adeola as its consensus governorship candidate on April 13, 2026, at a party congress held in Abeokuta. Governor Dapo Abiodun, who announced the decision, revealed that the consensus was reached to break the long-standing 50-year barrier affecting Ogun West, while ensuring fairness and equity across all senatorial districts. Senator Adeola, who represents Ogun West at the National Assembly, was formally presented as the party’s flagbearer for the 2027 election.

Obasanjo’s departure marks a significant political development in Ogun State and has sparked fresh conversations about internal democracy and inclusiveness within party structures. Her resignation comes ahead of the 2027 general elections, and political analysts suggest that the former senator’s exit could have implications for the APC’s efforts to consolidate support in Ogun Central Senatorial District, where she maintains considerable political influence.

As of press time, the Ogun State APC leadership and Senator Solomon Adeola had not issued any official response to Obasanjo’s allegations. The party has also not commented on the claims of violence, intimidation, and unfulfilled promises made by the former governorship aspirant.