Iyabo Obasanjo, who represented Ogun Central in the Senate from 2007 to 2011, has alleged that political opponents sought to keep PDP figure Ladi Adebutu off the electoral candidates’ list in order to avoid facing him at the polls.
Warning over Adebutu’s omission
Speaking on a multi-topic podcast in Abeokuta, the former Ogun State commissioner for health said the circumstances surrounding Adebutu’s absence pointed to an effort to eliminate competition rather than secure victory through voting.
Obasanjo said the development posed a risk to Nigeria’s democratic order. In her view, the ability of influential political interests to interfere with electoral procedures could weaken the foundations of the country’s political system.
She said she had initially discounted reports that Adebutu had been omitted, since the candidate lists for Senate and House of Representatives contests had already been released. But after making further enquiries, she said it became unclear why his name was absent while other PDP candidates who followed the same procedures appeared on the list.
“What did Honourable Ladi do differently from the rest of us?” she asked, adding that her assessment was guided by a “scientific mind.” “The answer was that he did exactly what all of us did. The next question, then, is why is his name not on the list?”
- Obasanjo said subsequent inquiries indicated that political rivals had acted to influence the matter.
- She described any such interference as unlawful.
- She said no convincing explanation had been offered for Adebutu’s omission.
- She expressed confidence that his name would ultimately be restored to the list.
“His name is going to be back on the list,” she said.
Democracy and electoral competition
The PDP candidate said the dispute was larger than Adebutu’s personal political prospects or the interests of her party. She warned that permitting candidates to be removed through improper means would establish a dangerous model for future elections.
“If this is allowed to happen, democracy will collapse, because anyone with money will go to Abuja and pay a supposedly neutral institution to remove anyone they believe can defeat them,” she said.
She questioned whether the ambition of a single person seeking the governorship should be permitted to endanger the country’s democratic system.
Obasanjo called on Nigerians to regard the matter as a test of their commitment to democratic standards. She argued that democracy could endure only where established rules were respected and political contests remained open.
“This is not even about Honourable Adebutu or the PDP; it is about the kind of democracy Nigeria operates,” she said.
She added that repeated breaches of democratic rules could eventually bring down the system those rules were intended to preserve. “You may not know which particular rule will finally break the experiment,” she said.
PDP prospects in Ogun State
Obasanjo rejected suggestions that the controversy over Adebutu’s name would damage the PDP’s electoral position in Ogun State. Instead, she said it could reveal an alleged reluctance by the opposition to take part in a genuinely competitive contest.
“No. Our people remain resolute about what they intend to do. I believe Honourable Ladi’s name will return,” she said.
She said the episode showed what she considered the opposition’s determination to avoid a fair election.
Obasanjo predicted a strong showing for the PDP in Ogun, pointing to the party’s past support base and to the governing record of former Governor Gbenga Daniel, widely known as OGD. She said some residents had begun to look back on that administration with fresh appreciation.
She argued that the party’s history of public service would be significant in rebuilding voters’ confidence.
- Obasanjo said public reactions had reinforced her belief that Nigerians were not naturally inclined towards wrongdoing.
- She argued that the political environment often encourages conduct that works against effective public service.
- She said improving the political system would encourage citizens to follow higher standards.
“Our people are not bad,” she said. “The political system has made people become what we see as this crass system, but if we can raise the quality of our political system, the people will follow us.”
She also said that the affection and respect she received from constituents had been among the most fulfilling parts of her career in politics.
Reflections on the APC and consensus selection
Obasanjo said she did not regret her short period in the All Progressives Congress, despite later returning to the PDP.
She said she entered the APC sincerely, in part because of her relationship with President Bola Tinubu and earlier political dealings with him.
“I joined the APC in good faith, so I have no regrets,” she said.
However, she criticised the APC’s management of its candidate-selection process in Ogun State. She said the party’s approach to building consensus had left some aspirants and members feeling excluded.
In her view, a legitimate consensus arrangement must include every aspirant, enabling them to understand the process and jointly accept the eventual outcome. She added that a political party could not reasonably expect electoral success after ignoring the concerns and sentiments of its own members.
