Prof. Iyabo Obasanjo, daughter of former Nigerian President Olusegun Obasanjo, has officially joined the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), declaring it her “natural home” as she returns to active politics after a 15-year hiatus.
Iyabo confirmed her membership in a radio interview on Saturday with Nigerian football legend Segun Odegbami on 103.7FM Eagle7 Sports. Her return comes ahead of the 2027 general elections in Ogun State, where she previously served as a senator representing Ogun Central from 2007 to 2011.
The former senator explained that her decision followed sustained pressure from a group of supporters who had been mobilising for about two years. She noted that she did not form this group but was persuaded by their persistent advocacy for her return. Iyabo lost her re-election bid in 2011 to Senator Gbenga Obadara of the then Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) and subsequently relocated to the United States to pursue an academic career, eventually becoming a professor.
She ruled out returning to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), where she last contested an election, citing “all kinds of turmoil” within the party. The African Democratic Congress (ADC) was also considered, but Iyabo stated the coalition “doesn’t have its ducks in a row yet; they’re still working on it.”
Her choice of the APC followed extensive consultations. “Everyone who contacted me and helped me go back into politics are now in the APC,” she said. “So, I think APC is my natural home. I don’t have any animosity towards any individual or any group within the APC. I feel comfortable with all the actors I know within the APC. I feel more comfortable, actually, than with some of the actors I know in the PDP.”
Iyabo’s affiliation was formalised when she participated in the APC’s ongoing electronic registration exercise at Ibogun, Ward 11, in Ifo Local Government Area of Ogun State.
Her return marks a significant political development in Ogun State, bringing the profile of a former senator and presidential daughter into the APC’s fold ahead of the next electoral cycle. It also underscores the fluidity of Nigeria’s political landscape, where prominent figures frequently shift allegiances ahead of elections. Iyabo’s next moves within the party and any potential role in the 2027 polls will be closely watched.
