A former senator representing Ogun Central, 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.
Obasanjo, who recently sought the APC governorship ticket in the state ahead of the 2027 election, announced her resignation in a letter dated May 31 and addressed to the Ogun APC chairman, Yemi Sanusi.
The former lawmaker criticised the consensus arrangement that produced Solomon Adeola as the party’s governorship candidate, arguing that the process did not comply with the party’s established guidelines.
According to Obasanjo, although she had earlier agreed to support any aspirant that emerged through a consensus process, she was excluded from consultations before Adeola was eventually unveiled as the consensus candidate.
She further alleged that some of her supporters were denied entry into the venue where the candidate was presented and were intimidated during the exercise.
Despite her grievances, the former senator said she accepted the outcome of the process in the interest of party unity and publicly congratulated Adeola on the night he emerged as the party’s candidate.
Obasanjo disclosed that following the primary process, Adeola reached out and requested a meeting with her supporters. She said three requests were presented to him during the meeting, with a promise that responses would be provided within one week.
However, she stated that more than two months after the meeting, no response had been received, a situation she said reinforced what she described as a pattern of disregard towards her within the party.
In the resignation letter, she said, “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.”
Despite her exit from the ruling party, Obasanjo expressed gratitude to President Bola Tinubu, the Ogun APC chairman, Chief Sanusi, and the Ogun Central APC leadership led by Chief Soremi for the support and courtesies extended to her during her membership of the party.
Obasanjo returned to partisan politics earlier this year after registering as a member of the APC in Ward 11, Ibogun, in Ifo Local Government Area of Ogun State.
Before relocating to the United States, she served as Ogun State Commissioner for Health between 2003 and 2007 and later represented Ogun Central in the Senate from 2007 to 2011.
Following her unsuccessful re-election bid in 2011, she stayed away from active partisan politics for several years before re-emerging in late 2025, when campaign billboards bearing her image surfaced across Abeokuta, fuelling speculation about a possible governorship ambition ahead of the 2027 elections.
She later formally declared her intention to contest the Ogun governorship election on the platform of the APC before eventually announcing her resignation from the party.
