Prof. Iyabo Obasanjo, daughter of former Nigerian President Olusegun Obasanjo, has formally declared her intention to contest the 2027 governorship election in Ogun State as a candidate for the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
The former Senator and one-time Ogun State Commissioner made the announcement during an interview with sports legend Segun Odegbami on 103.7FM Eagle7 Sports in Abeokuta. In the interview, she unequivocally ruled out a return to the Senate or any other political office, stating that the governorship is her sole objective. “The only thing I’ll come back to do is the governorship,” she said. “We have started that journey. We are going to see it through.”
Prof. Obasanjo, who served as a Senator from 2007 to 2015 and later as Ogun State Commissioner for Health under the administration of Governor Ibikunle Amosun, explained that her decision follows sustained pressure from a grassroots support group she did not personally organize. She noted that this group had been active for about two years and had been urging her return to politics for the past year, convinced she is the best candidate. “A group of people who I did not bring together… started talking to me about a year ago, saying, ‘Look, we think you are the best candidate. We want you back,’” she recounted.
Her return to the APC, which she recently joined, marks a significant political shift. She previously left the party after her Senate tenure, criticizing its direction. However, she now argues that seeking another Senate term would be redundant. “I’m not even going back to the same party because I think that’s old and I don’t see the use of it,” she stated, adding that the governorship represents a new, dedicated mission.
This declaration sets the stage for a potentially contentious race within the APC in Ogun State. The party currently dominates the state’s political landscape, and the governorship is held by Governor Dapo Abiodun, who is eligible for re-election in 2027. Prof. Obasanjo’s entry introduces a prominent figure with a well-known political pedigree and an established, if sometimes turbulent, history in the state.
Her candidacy is expected to galvanize both support and scrutiny. Proponents may point to her experience in national and state governance, as well as her family’s enduring influence in Ogun politics. Critics may reference her past electoral defeats, including her unsuccessful 2015 bid for the Senate under the then-opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), and questions about her political consistency following her party switches.
The development also highlights the ongoing realignments ahead of the 2027 general elections. Prof. Obasanjo’s focus on a state-level executive role, rather than a legislative seat, signals a bid for direct executive authority. Her campaign will now formally begin the process of mobilizing support within the APC and across Ogun State, challenging the existing power structure and likely influencing the party’s internal calculations for the next election cycle. Her journey to the 2027 governorship race has thus been officially launched, adding a high-profile contestant to Nigeria’s political forecast.
