Former Ogun State governorship aspirant and Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate for Ogun Central Senatorial District, Prof. Iyabo Obasanjo, has declared what she called an “all-out political battle” against Senator Solomon Olamilekan Adeola, popularly known as Yayi, accusing the All Progressives Congress (APC) senator of “betrayal, dishonesty and lacking integrity.”
Speaking during an interactive session with journalists in Abeokuta on Wednesday, Obasanjo said she had resolved to “show who I am” after alleging that Adeola failed to honour promises made to her following the APC governorship consensus process.
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I’m on a war path to show who I am. My name and my family’s name are indelible in the history of Ogun State. For anybody to want to rubbish me, they will find out the hard way that I’m not rubbishable, she said.
Obasanjo alleged that after a reconciliation meeting, Adeola requested one week to respond to issues raised but failed to communicate. I gave him six weeks. After I resigned, he started calling me. I never picked his calls and I never will. Once you’ve broken my trust, you are dead to me, she said.
She claimed her supporters had sought three concessions during the meeting: support for her senatorial ambition in the APC, reimbursement of campaign expenses from the governorship race, and inclusion of members of her political structure in his administration.
Obasanjo said she told Adeola he did not have to grant all the requests but should simply indicate what he could accommodate.
I told him to let me know what he could do so I could explain it to my supporters. Instead, he failed to keep his word. I think he is a man that lacks integrity. He sees people as things to be used, she alleged. She further claimed the senator later attempted to win her over with money, describing the amount offered as insulting.
Obasanjo also asserted that the APC halted her governorship ambition because of the momentum her campaign had generated, adding: If I had continued, there was no way I wouldn’t have beaten Yayi.
The former senator announced the commencement of her senatorial campaign, stating she would begin consultations with PDP structures across the six local government areas of Ogun Central before wider media engagements. Moving forward, I will be doing more media engagement. I am now open to interviews,” she said.
Obasanjo anchored her confidence on her record in public office, citing interventions in mechanic villages and community infrastructure.
Politics is about making people’s lives better. If you cannot make things better for individuals and society, there is no reason to be in politics, she said.
In Ogun Central, I believe I am unbeatable. People know my brand because they have seen what I have done. My focus is on my senatorial district, and we are going to win it, she declared.
Dismissing concerns over the simultaneous conduct of presidential and National Assembly elections, she said, Our people are not stupid. They know who they want to vote for. On fears of election violence, she added: We are citizens, and we will defend our rights. No violence can stop people from voting for who they want.”
She maintained that her nomination met electoral requirements, noting that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) had accepted her as the PDP’s Ogun Central senatorial candidate.
We met the deadline. I was within the time limit, and INEC has accepted me as the PDP candidate, she said. She vowed to beat Yayi to a pulp at the polls.
Prof. Obasanjo, daughter of former President Olusegun Obasanjo, served as Commissioner for Health in Ogun State and later represented Ogun Central in the Senate from 2007 to 2011.
Her name recognition and past performance in office remain assets in the district, particularly in Abeokuta South, Abeokuta North, Odeda, Obafemi-Owode, Ifo, and Ewekoro LGAs that make up Ogun Central.
Senator Adeola, however, is the incumbent senator for Ogun West but has been a central figure in APC politics in Ogun State, with significant grassroots machinery and backing from party structures. He won his current seat in 2023 after switching from Lagos West.
Political observers note that Obasanjo’s threat signals a potentially bruising contest in Ogun Central, where PDP retains pockets of strength despite APC’s dominance at the state level.
Her ability to mobilize her old structure, leverage legacy projects, and frame the race as a referendum on “character and trust” will test Adeola’s reach beyond Ogun West, should he seek to contest in Central.
As of press time, Senator Adeola had not publicly responded to Prof. Obasanjo’s allegations. The APC in Ogun State also has not issued a statement on the claims regarding the governorship consensus or post-consensus agreements.
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With campaigns set to intensify, Ogun Central is shaping up as a key battleground. Whether Obasanjo’s “war path” translates into electoral upset will depend on PDP cohesion, voter turnout, and the credibility of her claims among undecided voters — with investigations into party negotiations and campaign financing likely to feature in the coming weeks.
