Former senator and daughter of former President Olusegun Obasanjo, Iyabo Obasanjo, has resigned from the All Progressives Congress (APC), barely two months after losing the party’s governorship ticket for the 2027 election in Ogun State.
In a resignation letter dated May 31 and addressed to Yemi Sanusi, chairman of the APC in Ogun State, Iyabo cited what she described as persistent disrespect from party leaders and the failure of the party’s consensus governorship candidate, Solomon Adeola, to honour commitments made after the primary process.
Iyabo joined the APC in February and soon declared her interest in the governorship race. However, she later suspended her ambition following the party’s adoption of a consensus candidate.
Despite accepting the outcome, she said the process fell short of the party’s guidelines and was marred by the treatment of her supporters.
“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 said.
“When that day came, even as violence was perpetrated against my supporters to stop them from entering the venue, I maintained my calmness.
“At the venue, with no prior meeting with me as a candidate, given what the national party says in its guidelines on what consensus should be, a candidate was announced.
“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.”
The former federal lawmaker said she accepted the result because she believed party unity should take precedence.
“I wrote my letter accepting the party’s consensus candidate that night even with the flawed process,” she said.
According to Iyabo, Adeola later met with her to seek support for the 2027 election. During the meeting, her supporters presented three requests, which she said were not mandatory but required a response.
“At that meeting, my people made three requests which I said were not compulsory, but he should let me know so I would inform my people of his responses, and he said I should give him a week,” she said.
“Unless he gets back to me after I send this letter, he has not reached out to me after two months.”
She said the lack of communication reflected a broader pattern of disregard towards her within the party.
“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.
“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.”
Despite her grievances, Iyabo expressed appreciation to President Bola Tinubu and some APC leaders for the cordial relationship she enjoyed during her time in the party.
“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 said.
