The political landscape of Ogun State has been thrown into a fiery tempest following the dramatic defection of former Senator Iyabo Obasanjo from the All Progressives Congress (APC) to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
​The high-profile exit has triggered a fierce exchange of bitter accusations between the daughter of former President Olusegun Obasanjo and the APC’s leading governorship hopeful, Senator Solomon Olamilekan Adeola (popularly known as Yayi).
​The political tremor began in June 2026 when Professor Iyabo Obasanjo formally resigned from the ruling APC, barely months after entering the state’s governorship race under the party’s umbrella. Citing deep-seated institutional hostility, Obasanjo alleged that she faced persistent disrespect, marginalization, and unfair treatment from the APC leadership in Ogun State—machinations she claims were orchestrated to clear the path for favored candidates.
​Days after her exit, Obasanjo officially returned to her former political home, the PDP, where she immediately secured the party’s ticket for the Ogun Central Senatorial district ahead of the 2027 general elections.
​Speaking to supporters at a rally in Abeokuta, Obasanjo launched a scathing attack on Senator Adeola’s governorship ambitions.
​”Ogun State is not for sale to the highest bidder,” Obasanjo declared. “We cannot allow the destiny of our people to be hijacked by opportunistic politicians who rely on financial intimidation rather than genuine grassroots structure and public service excellence. My departure from the APC was a rejection of a toxic, undemocratic system designed to suppress alternative voices.”
​Responding swiftly through his media directorate in Abeokuta, Senator Solomon Adeola dismissed Obasanjo’s allegations as the “sour grapes of a desperate politician” who realized she lacked the local political capital to compete within the APC.
​Adeola, who currently represents Ogun West in the Senate and remains the frontline establishment choice for the APC’s 2027 gubernatorial ticket, countered that Obasanjo’s defection was born out of entitlement rather than principle.
Adeola’s camp stated that the APC operates on a level playing field, asserting that Obasanjo expected a “coronation” rather than a democratic contest.
The Senator argued that his extensive philanthropic work and legislative track record across Ogun State speak for themselves, mocking the idea that his support is bought.
Adeola advised the former senator to focus on her new party instead of using his name to gain relevance, claiming she was running away from an inevitable primary defeat.
​The bitter back-and-forth has effectively set the tone for a highly volatile election cycle in Ogun State. Local political analysts note that Iyabo Obasanjo’s swift acquisition of the PDP senatorial ticket makes her a formidable force in Ogun Central, directly threatening the APC’s dominance in the zone.
​As both camps fortify their positions ahead of the 2027 campaigns, the animosity between the Obasanjo dynasty’s political resurgence and Senator Adeola’s powerful campaign machinery promises to make Ogun State one of the most fiercely contested electoral battlegrounds in the country.
