The daughter of former President, Olusegun Obasanjo, Prof. Iyabo, has officially declared her intention to contest the 2027 governorship election in Ogun State under the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC).
Obasanjo, a former senator representing Ogun Central, stated that the decision to join the race was to serve the people and ensure the state achieves more growth and development.
Her decision, as gathered, marked a full return to politics barely 15 years after losing his senatorial seat to Gbenga Obadara of the then Action Congress of Nigeria.
Obasanjo made the declaration on Saturday while responding to questions on a popular radio programme anchored by Nigerian football icon, Segun Odegbami.
The former lawmaker’s declaration came days after participating in the APC’s ongoing e-registration exercise at Ibogun, Ward 11, in Ifo Local Government Area of the state.
Obasanjo disclosed that her return to politics was largely driven by sustained pressure from supporters who have been mobilizing on her behalf for over two years.
According to her, the group began reaching out about a year ago, insisting she was the best candidate to lead the state and urging her to come back into public service.
She explained that returning to the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), where she last contested, was no longer an option due to internal crises and instability within the party.
While noting that the African Democratic Congress was once considered, she said the coalition party was still organising and not yet fully prepared.
Obasanjo stressed that the individuals and political structures behind her return are now firmly rooted in the APC, influencing her decision to join the ruling party after wide consultations.
Describing the APC as her natural political home, she said she felt comfortable with the key actors within the party and more confident there than in other platforms she had previously explored.
She also made it clear that her ambition goes beyond legislative or appointive positions, ruling out a return to the Senate or any commissioner role.
According to her, the governorship is the only office she is interested in pursuing, noting that the journey has already begun and that her team is fully committed to seeing it through.
It would be recalled that after losing the senatorial seat, the lawmaker returned to the United States, where she focused on her academic career and rose to the rank of professor.
