Prof. Iyabo Obasanjo, daughter of former President Olusegun Obasanjo and a former senator representing Ogun Central, has officially declared her intention to contest the 2027 governorship election in Ogun State under the platform of the ruling All Progressives Congress APC.
Obasanjo made the declaration on Saturday during an interactive radio programme on 103.7FM Eagle7 Sports, anchored by Nigerian football icon Segun Odegbami, marking her full return to active politics after about 15 years away from the political scene.
Her decision follows her recent defection to the APC ahead of the 2027 general elections, a move that sources confirmed was sealed through her participation in the party’s ongoing e registration exercise at Ibogun, Ward 11, in Ifo Local Government Area of the state.
The renowned epidemiologist and former Ogun State Commissioner for Health served in the Senate between 2007 and 2011 but lost her re election bid to Senator Gbenga Obadara of the then Action Congress of Nigeria. After the defeat, she returned to the United States, where she focused on her academic career and rose to the rank of professor.
Speaking during the interview, Obasanjo disclosed that her return to politics was largely driven by sustained pressure from supporters who have been mobilising on her behalf for over two years.
According to her, the group began reaching out about a year ago, insisting she was the best candidate to lead the state and urging her to come back into public service.
She explained that returning to the Peoples Democratic Party, where she last contested, was no longer an option due to internal crises and instability within the party. While noting that the African Democratic Congress was once considered, she said the coalition party was still organising and not yet fully prepared.
Obasanjo stressed that the individuals and political structures behind her return are now firmly rooted in the APC, influencing her decision to join the ruling party after wide consultations.
Describing the APC as her natural political home, she said she felt comfortable with the key actors within the party and more confident there than in other platforms she had previously explored.
She also made it clear that her ambition goes beyond legislative or appointive positions, ruling out a return to the Senate or any commissioner role.
According to her, the governorship is the only office she is interested in pursuing, noting that the journey has already begun and that her team is fully committed to seeing it through.
With her declaration, Iyabo Obasanjo becomes one of the high profile figures set to shape the political landscape of Ogun State ahead of the 2027 elections, setting the stage for what promises to be a keenly contested governorship race.
