Senator Iyabo Obasanjo, in a letter dated May 31, 2026, said she is leaving the All Progressives Congress, pointing to claims of disrespect, alleged intimidation directed at her supporters, and other grievances as key factors behind her decision.
Quick facts
- Senator Iyabo Obasanjo wrote a resignation letter dated May 31, 2026, citing alleged disrespect and intimidation of supporters.
- The APC responded through its Publicity Secretary, Comrade Femi Nuberu.
- Nuberu said members have the right to make personal political choices and that the party supports democratic freedom of association.
- The party said Obasanjo was welcomed from the Peoples Democratic Party shortly before the governorship primary began and was given a level playing field.
- APC officials said the primary concluded with a consensus candidate that Obasanjo publicly accepted and pledged to support.
- The APC said several claims in her letter do not match its account of events and that her departure shortly after joining reinforces concerns about her motives.
In response, the party’s Publicity Secretary, Comrade Femi Nuberu, stressed that the APC remains committed to democracy and freedom of association. He said that, within those democratic principles, every individual retains the right to decide on personal political direction.
Nuberu said the APC had received Senator Obasanjo from the Peoples Democratic Party not long before the start of the governorship primary election. He added that the party took steps to ensure what it described as fair conditions for all contenders participating in the process.
He further argued that the exercise ultimately led to a consensus candidate. Nuberu said Senator Obasanjo acknowledged that outcome in public and pledged to back it, framing her support as being in the interest of party unity, inclusiveness, and a desire from a part of the state that had not previously produced a governor.
The APC disputed multiple points raised in her resignation letter, saying they are at odds with her experience in the party. The party maintained that she received the same rights, privileges, and opportunities as other aspirants, and it described the internal track—including the governorship primary— as transparent, inclusive, and free of discrimination or intimidation.
While saying it respects her right to choose a different political home, the APC argued that her exit came only weeks after she joined. In the party’s view, the timing strengthens a perception that her membership was aimed mainly at obtaining the party’s governorship ticket rather than a sustained commitment to APC ideals and objectives.
The party also said it had difficulty reconciling the allegations of exclusion, intimidation, or unfair treatment with what it describes as the treatment Senator Obasanjo received after joining. It reiterated that she was brought into the APC shortly before the governorship primary and was granted the same access to rights and opportunities available to every other aspirant.
Beyond the specific dispute, the APC said it has seen other respected leaders and aspirants who did not get the outcomes they wanted through the party’s internal processes remain loyal. It pointed to their continued support as evidence, in its view, that they prioritize collective interests over personal ambition and continue working toward the party’s growth and electoral success.
The party said politics is sustained by loyalty, patience, sacrifice, and commitment to shared principles. It added that internal democratic contests naturally produce winners and losers, but it argued that genuine party supporters are identified by their willingness to stay engaged with the collective project even when personal results do not match expectations.
In a closely related statement, the APC emphasized that its political approach rests on collective goals, shared aspirations, and adherence to democratic procedures, rather than pursuing individual ambitions. It repeated that many leaders and aspirants who did not secure their preferred outcomes have remained within the party and continue to work for its progress and success.
The party also said it was challenging to align the resignation letter’s claims of unmet conditions and grievances with the fact that its internal processes—including elements of the governorship primary—were still underway when Senator Obasanjo resigned.
Finally, the APC said it respects Senator Obasanjo’s right to associate with any political platform of her choice. It expressed goodwill for her future political plans and reaffirmed its commitment to unity, inclusiveness, and continued expansion in Ogun State.
