Former senator representing Ogun Central and daughter of former President Olusegun Obasanjo, Prof. Iyabo Obasanjo-Bello, has resigned from the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), citing what she described as persistent disrespect, rejection, and unfair treatment by the party’s leadership in Ogun State.
Obasanjo announced her resignation in a letter dated May 31 and addressed to the Ogun State APC Chairman, Chief Yemi Sanusi. A copy of the letter became public on Monday.
The former senator, who recently contested for the APC governorship ticket ahead of the 2027 elections, criticised the consensus process that produced Solomon Adeola as the party’s governorship candidate, alleging that the exercise did not comply with the party’s established guidelines.
According to Obasanjo, although she had agreed to support any candidate that emerged through a consensus arrangement, she was neither consulted nor involved in the process that eventually led to Adeola’s emergence 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 chose to accept the outcome in the interest of party unity and publicly congratulated Adeola on the night he was announced as the party’s candidate.
The former senator disclosed that following his emergence, Adeola reached out and requested a meeting with her supporters. During the meeting, she said three requests were presented to the senator, who promised to respond within one week.
However, she lamented that more than two months later, no response had 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,” Obasanjo stated in the resignation letter.
She maintained that the development reflected a broader pattern of disregard for her contributions and commitment to the party.
Despite her decision to leave the APC, Obasanjo expressed gratitude to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the Ogun APC chairman, Chief Sanusi, and the Ogun Central Senatorial leadership for the support and courtesy extended to her during her time in the party.
Obasanjo returned to active partisan politics earlier this year when she registered as an APC member in Ward 11, Ibogun, in Ifo Local Government Area of Ogun State.
Before then, she had served as Ogun State Commissioner for Health between 2003 and 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 stayed away from partisan politics for over a decade. Her political comeback became evident in late 2025 when campaign billboards bearing her image appeared across Abeokuta, signalling her intention to contest the Ogun governorship election under the APC platform.
Her resignation now raises fresh questions about the internal dynamics of the APC in Ogun State and the potential implications for the state’s political landscape ahead of the 2027 governorship election.