My Supporters Were Attacked Before Ogun APC Guber Consensus – Iyabo Obasanjo

Iyabo Obasanjo, a former aspirant for the Ogun State governorship under the All Progressives Congress (APC), has expressed dissatisfaction with how the party selected its consensus candidate ahead of the 2027 general elections.

On April 13, 2026, Ogun State Governor Dapo Abiodun announced Senator Solomon Adeola, who represents Ogun West, as the APC’s preferred governorship candidate for the 2027 election.

The announcement was made during a party caucus meeting in Abeokuta after what the governor described as consultations with party leaders aimed at promoting unity and continuity within the APC.

Following the decision, Iyabo Obasanjo, daughter of former President Olusegun Obasanjo, stepped down from her governorship ambition in line with the consensus arrangement.

In a statement released on Thursday, she explained that she had consistently supported the idea of a consensus candidate as a way to reduce internal conflicts and strengthen the party ahead of the elections.

However, she said the way it was implemented in Ogun did not fully reflect fairness and inclusiveness.

“Throughout my consultations ahead of the Ogun state governorship primaries, I consistently advocated for consensus as a strategic pathway to reduce tension, prevent internal divisions, and position our party for electoral success in 2027,” she said.

She noted that she had already accepted the outcome after Adeola was announced and even congratulated him immediately, while also putting her campaign plans on hold in respect of the party’s decision.

“I immediately congratulated him and suspended all activities related to my gubernatorial aspiration, in line with my earlier pledge and my respect for party decisions,” she added.

Despite this, she raised concerns about what happened before and during the meeting where the decision was made.

“On the day of the meeting, some of my supporters were denied entry and regrettably, two were physically assaulted by a party functionary,” she alleged.

“Such occurrences do not reflect the values of discipline, order and mutual respect that our party represents.”

Obasanjo also complained that some governorship aspirants, including herself and Tunde Lemo, were not acknowledged during the meeting despite being present and actively engaging with supporters across the state.

“Other candidates across the state, including myself and Mr Tunde Lemo, who were present in the hall, were not acknowledged, despite our extensive consultations and the strong grassroots momentum we generated across Ogun state,” she said.

While restating her commitment to the APC, she made it clear that she is not leaving the party and will continue to support both the party and its chosen candidate, Senator Adeola, as well as President Bola Tinubu’s administration.

“My loyalty to the APC remains unwavering. I am not defecting and I will continue to support the success of our party, including the candidacy of senator Adeola,” she said.

She, however, called on party leaders to ensure that future consensus processes are more inclusive and fair, stressing that true unity requires recognition and proper involvement of all stakeholders.

“True unity is not achieved by consensus alone, but through recognition, respect and collective engagement,” she said.

“Going forward, I respectfully urge our party leadership at all levels to embrace a more inclusive approach, one that acknowledges the contributions of all aspirants and carries everyone along.”

She added that she and her supporters remain committed to contributing to the party’s success in future elections.

Her remarks come shortly after Senator Gbenga Daniel also complained that he was excluded from an APC caucus meeting in Ijebu Ode earlier in the week.