Prof. Iyabo Obasanjo, former Senator representing Ogun Central and daughter of ex President Olusegun Obasanjo, has officially withdrawn her membership from the All Progressives Congress, citing what she described as disrespect, rejection and unfair treatment from the party’s leadership in Ogun State.
In a resignation letter dated May 31 and addressed to the Ogun State APC Chairman, Chief Yemi Sanusi, Obasanjo explained her decision following months of internal party tensions linked to the governorship primaries ahead of the 2027 elections. The letter later became public on Monday.
The US based Associate Professor of Epidemiology had earlier shown interest in the APC governorship ticket but raised concerns over the consensus arrangement that produced Senator Solomon Adeola as the party’s candidate. She described the process as inconsistent with the APC’s own guidelines.
According to her, she had repeatedly pledged both publicly and privately to respect whatever decision the party reached through consensus. However, she claimed she was not carried along in the process before Adeola was announced as the consensus candidate.
She further alleged that the event where the decision was announced was marred by disorder, including claims that some of her supporters were prevented from gaining access to the venue. She also stated that she was not acknowledged at the gathering despite being a major contender who had worked across the state to build support for the party.
Despite her reservations, Obasanjo said she still accepted the outcome in the interest of party unity and immediately congratulated the declared candidate. She noted that the candidate later reached out to her for a meeting with her supporters, which eventually took place weeks afterward.
At that meeting, she explained that her supporters presented three requests, which she described as non binding, and the candidate reportedly promised to respond within a week. According to her, no feedback was received even after several weeks had passed.
She said the experience formed part of a wider pattern of neglect and exclusion within the party, adding that she often felt her contributions to APC’s support base in Ogun State were overlooked.
Using a popular expression, she noted that when disrespect becomes constant, it is better to step away. She therefore confirmed her decision to leave the party, stating that she no longer felt welcome within its structure.
Even so, Obasanjo expressed appreciation to President Bola Tinubu, the Ogun State APC leadership and other party officials she interacted with, saying she valued the moments where she was treated with respect during her time in the party.
She also recalled that she officially joined the APC in January after registering in Ward 11, Ibogun, in Ifo Local Government Area of Ogun State. Her entry into partisan politics at the time had sparked speculation about a possible governorship bid, especially after campaign style billboards featuring her name and image appeared across parts of Abeokuta.
