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…declares intention to run for Senate
From Laide Raheem, Abeokuta
Ahead of the 2027 general election, the daughter of former President Olusegun Olusegun Obasanjo, Senator Iyabo Obasanjo-Bello, has defected to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Ogun State.
Senator Obasanjo-Bello who was a governorship aspirant in the All Progressives Congress (APC) for the 2027 election in the state, formally announced her defection at a rally held at the Ogun PDP Secretariat in Abeokuta, the Ogun State capital.
Addressing party faithful and leaders at the event, she lamented what she described as “unfair treatment” towards her while in the APC.
She faulted the process that produced Senator Solomon Olamilekan Adeola as the APC’S consensus candidate, alleging that she and other aspirants were deliberately sidelined.
The former Commissioner for Health in the state added that her decision to dump the ruling party was not driven by personal ambition, but by what she described as a lack of fairness and inclusiveness within the party.
Obasanjo stated that she had agreed to abide by any consensus arrangement provided it was conducted in accordance with the party’s constitution and involved all aspirants.
“When I returned to active politics, I chose to join the APC because President Bola Ahmed Tinubu treated me with great respect and dignity. He regarded me like his own daughter, gave me my rightful place, and accorded me the recognition I deserved. It was never about money; it was about respect.
“In Yorubaland, prestige and honour are often valued more than money. When you give me prestige and recognition, you earn my loyalty and respect in return.
“Nobody persuaded or begged me to join the APC. It was my people who called me back into politics. They told me that Ogun State was no longer the same as the one I left and urged me to return and contribute once again to its development. I answered that call because the people still remembered the good work I did as a Senator and as a Commissioner in Ogun State. Their support and confidence inspired my return.
“As part of the consultation process, we toured Ogun West and Ogun East and were preparing to move to Ogun Central before a meeting was suddenly called by the party leadership. According to the APC Constitution, for a consensus candidate to emerge, all aspirants are expected to engage in discussions and consultations before any decision is announced. However, when we arrived at the meeting, a consensus candidate had already been announced.
“We were informed that two aspirants from Ogun West had been persuaded to step down in support of the consensus candidate. At that point, I realized that something was wrong,” she said.
The former senator argued that the process could not be regarded as a genuine consensus because aspirants from Ogun Central and Ogun East were excluded from the consultations.
Senator Obasanjo-Bello who declared her intention to contest the Ogun Central Senatorial seat on the platform of the PDP, however, boasted she and the party’s governorship candidate are true indigene of Ogun State, insisting that the APC is fielding “Lagos indigene” as its governorship flag bearer.
“Both Hon. Ladi Adebutu and I come from respected families with a long history of service to the people. Our fathers dedicated their lives to empowering others, creating opportunities and supporting countless individuals across Ogun State”, she submitted.
She pledged her loyalty to the PDP and promised to work closely with its leadership to ensure victory in the forthcoming elections.
In his remarks, the PDP governorship candidate, Ladi Adebutu, described Obasanjo’s defection as a major boost for the party and expressed confidence that the PDP would emerge victorious in the next governorship election.
Adebutu assured party supporters that his administration, if elected, would address what he termed the shortcomings of the current APC-led government and restore good governance to the state.
He also promised to grant full autonomy to local governments, saying grassroots development remained critical to the state’s progress.
Earlier in his address, the Ogun State PDP Chairman, Abayomi Tella, formally presented the party’s membership card and insignia to Obasanjo as a symbol of her official admission into the PDP.
