A 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 disrespect, exclusion, and unfair treatment by the party’s leadership in Ogun State.
Obasanjo, who recently sought the APC governorship ticket in Ogun State, announced her resignation in a letter dated May 31 and addressed to the state APC Chairman, Chief Yemi Sanusi. A copy of the letter was made available to journalists on Monday.
The United States-based Associate Professor of Epidemiology criticised the consensus process that produced Senator Solomon Adeola (Yayi) as the party’s governorship candidate, arguing that it fell short of the APC’s established guidelines.
According to her, although she had pledged to support any consensus arrangement adopted by the party, she was neither consulted nor involved in the process before Adeola was announced as the consensus candidate.
She further alleged that some of her supporters were denied access to the venue where the candidate was unveiled and were subjected to intimidation.
Despite her concerns, Obasanjo said she accepted the outcome in the interest of party unity and publicly congratulated Adeola on the night of his emergence.
She disclosed that Adeola subsequently reached out and requested a meeting with her supporters, during which three requests were presented. While he reportedly promised to respond within a week, she said more than two months had passed without any feedback.
Obasanjo said the episode was emblematic of a broader pattern of disregard for her contributions and standing within the party.
“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,” she stated.
“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.”
Despite her grievances, Obasanjo expressed appreciation to President Bola Tinubu, Ogun APC Chairman Chief Yemi Sanusi, and the Ogun Central Senatorial leadership led by Chief Soremi for the support and courtesy extended to her during her time in the party.
Obasanjo returned to active politics earlier this year after registering as an APC member in Ward 11, Ibogun, Ifo Local Government Area of Ogun State.
She 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.
Following her unsuccessful re-election bid in 2011, she relocated to the United States and largely withdrew from partisan politics. Speculation about a political comeback intensified in late 2025 when campaign billboards bearing her image appeared across Abeokuta ahead of the 2027 election cycle.
She later formally declared her intention to contest the Ogun State governorship on the APC platform before ultimately announcing her resignation from the party.
