Former Senator representing Ogun Central and daughter of former President Olusegun Obasanjo, Prof. Iyabo Obasanjo, has resigned from the All Progressives Congress (APC), alleging disrespect, rejection and poor treatment by the party’s leadership in Ogun State.
Prof. Obasanjo, who recently sought the APC governorship ticket ahead of the 2027 elections, confirmed her resignation in a letter dated May 31 and addressed to the Ogun State Chairman of the party, Chief Yemi Sanusi.
A copy of the resignation letter was made available to journalists on Monday.
The US-based Associate Professor of Epidemiology criticised the consensus process that produced Senator Solomon Adeola as the APC governorship candidate in Ogun State, describing it as inconsistent with the party’s established guidelines.
She said although she had earlier committed to accepting any consensus decision of the party, she was not properly carried along before Adeola was announced as the consensus candidate.
According to her, the process violated the APC’s rules which require consultation and agreement among aspirants before adopting a consensus flagbearer.
She also alleged that some of her supporters were prevented through violent means from accessing the venue where Adeola’s emergence was announced.
Despite her concerns, Obasanjo said she prioritised party unity and congratulated the candidate while pledging her support for his ambition.
She added that Adeola later reached out to appreciate her gesture and subsequently met with her and her supporters.
At that meeting, she said her supporters presented three requests, which she stressed were not compulsory.
According to her, Adeola promised to respond within one week but allegedly failed to do so more than two months later.
She said this incident was part of a wider pattern of neglect and lack of respect she experienced within the party.
The letter reads: “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.
“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, i.e., having meetings where all candidates agree to the candidate that will be announced, 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.
“Based on my conviction that party unity is important, I wrote my letter accepting the party’s consensus candidate that night, even with the flawed process. The consensus candidate called me the next morning and asked for a meeting with my followers and me, which we had about 2 weeks later.
“At that meeting, my people made 3 requests, which I said were not compulsory, but he should let me know so I would let my people know his responses, and he said I should give him a week.
“Unless he gets back to me after I send this letter, he has not reached out to me after 2 months. This is just part of the general treatment I have received from APC of disrespect and rejection, as if I were 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 welcome. This is my resignation from the party.”
Despite her exit, she thanked President Bola Tinubu, Ogun APC Chairman Chief Yemi Sanusi, and Ogun Central Senatorial Chairman Chief Soremi for what she described as their respectful treatment of her during her time in the party.
Prof. Obasanjo had rejoined partisan politics in January when she registered as an APC member in Ward 11, Ibogun, Ifo Local Government Area of Ogun State.
Her return had earlier sparked speculation after campaign-style billboards bearing her image appeared across Abeokuta ahead of the 2027 governorship race.