Reported by: Ijeoma G | Edited by: Oravbiere Osayomore Promise.
Former Senator Iyabo Obasanjo has officially rejoined the Peoples Democratic Party and secured the party’s senatorial ticket for Ogun Central, just days after resigning from the All Progressives Congress over what she described as disrespect, betrayal, and unfair treatment by the ruling party’s leadership.
The PDP formally received Obasanjo at a massive rally held at the party secretariat in Abeokuta on Wednesday, June 17, 2026, where she was presented with the party’s flag and announced as its candidate for the Ogun Central Senatorial District ahead of the 2027 elections. The reception was preceded by a procession through major streets in Abeokuta, flanked by the party’s governorship candidate, Ladi Adebutu, her supporters, and PDP members from across the state.
State Chairman of the PDP, Dr. Abayomi Tella, formally presented the flag to Obasanjo, declaring her the party’s candidate for Ogun Central. “On behalf of our National Chairman, Alhaji Abdulrahman Mohammed, and the entire National Working Committee of the PDP, I, Abayomi Tella, PhD, the State Chairman of the PDP, and on behalf of PDP Ogun Central, present to our revered sister, Prof. Senator Iyabo Obasanjo-Bello, this flag as the authority of the party for her candidature for the Senate in Ogun Central,” Tella said. Taking the party’s oath, Obasanjo pledged her loyalty and allegiance to the PDP, its constitution, manifesto, and code of conduct, declaring: “I commit myself to the ideals of the PDP. I shall serve the people of Ogun State and Nigeria with integrity, humility, and dedication, prioritising their welfare above personal and sectional interests”.
Obasanjo’s return to the PDP comes less than two weeks after she resigned from the APC on May 31, 2026, following her loss in the party’s governorship ticket race. She had joined the APC in January 2026 after nearly 15 years away from active politics, drawn by the respect and recognition she said President Bola Tinubu accorded her. “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,” she said at the PDP rally.
However, Obasanjo said her enthusiasm waned when the APC adopted Senator Solomon Adeola as its consensus governorship candidate without proper consultation with all aspirants. She accused the party leadership of violating its own constitution and excluding aspirants from Ogun Central and Ogun East from critical consultations. “When I joined the APC, I committed myself fully to the party. I made it clear from the beginning that if the party adopted a consensus arrangement, I would respect and accept the outcome. However, when we arrived at the meeting, a consensus candidate had already been announced,” she said. She also questioned the party’s choice of a running mate from Ogun East, accusing the APC of disregarding zoning arrangements in the state.
Obasanjo, who represented Ogun Central in the Senate between 2007 and 2011 on the platform of the PDP before leaving active politics, said she felt treated like a child by the APC leadership. “The APC treated me like a child whereas I will be 60 years by the grace of God next year,” she lamented. She maintained that she remains the candidate to beat in the next election, declaring herself the best senator to have represented Ogun Central.
Her return to the PDP is viewed as a major boost to the party’s electoral prospects in Ogun State, particularly in Ogun Central Senatorial District, given her extensive political experience, grassroots appeal, and longstanding connection with the people of the district. The PDP governorship candidate, Ladi Adebutu, who flanked Obasanjo at the rally, expressed confidence that the party remains the strongest contender in the state’s 2027 elections. The APC is yet to officially respond to Obasanjo’s latest political move, though the party had earlier rebutted her claims of unfair treatment, insisting that she was treated fairly and afforded the same opportunities as every other aspirant during her brief stay in the party.
📩 Stone Reporters News | 🌍 stonereportersnews.com ✉️ info@stonereportersnews.com | 📘 Facebook: Stone Reporters News | 🐦 X (Twitter): @StoneReportNew | 📸 Instagram: @stonereportersnews
Add comment
Comments