Senator Iyabo Obasanjo has suspended her gubernatorial ambition following the adoption of Senator Solomon Olamilekan Adeola, popularly known as Yayi, as the All Progressives Congress consensus candidate for the 2027 governorship election in Ogun State . The decision was taken at the APC strategic caucus meeting held at the party secretariat in Abeokuta on Monday, which attracted all three former governors of the state: Aremo Olusegun Osoba, Senator Ibikunle Amosun and Otunba Gbenga Daniel . Also in attendance were APC gubernatorial aspirants, including Obasanjo, Gboyega Isiaka, Tunde Lemo and Isiak Akinlade, with the governor announcing the resolution after the meeting which lasted for about two hours . Obasanjo, the daughter of former President Olusegun Obasanjo, announced the suspension of her consultations towards the gubernatorial race in a personally signed statement on Monday .
Obasanjo said: “I congratulate him and wish him every success. I also thank the state and national leaders of our great party for the opportunity to participate in the nomination process. Based on these developments, I have decided to suspend my gubernatorial aspiration. To my supporters across Ogun State, I am deeply grateful for your calm, steadfast support and unwavering trust throughout this journey. Together, we move forward with patience, strength and hope” . The emergence of Adeola as the consensus candidate represents a major victory for the party’s leadership in Ogun State, which has been working to present a united front ahead of the 2027 elections . Adeola currently represents Ogun West in the Senate and has been positioning himself for the governorship for several years .
The meeting’s outcome suggests that the APC leadership in Ogun State has successfully navigated the competing ambitions of multiple aspirants, avoiding a potentially divisive primary that could have weakened the party’s chances in the general election . The presence of all three former governors at the meeting indicates a rare moment of unity among the party’s power blocs in the state, which have historically been fractured along factional lines . Osoba, Amosun and Daniel have often been at odds over the control of the party’s structure in Ogun, making their collective endorsement of Adeola a significant development . For Obasanjo, the decision to step aside reflects a recognition that the party’s leadership has coalesced around another candidate, and that a contested primary would likely have been unsuccessful.
Obasanjo’s withdrawal from the race leaves Adeola as the clear frontrunner for the APC ticket, though the party has yet to formally conduct its primaries . The other aspirants who attended the meeting have not yet announced whether they will also step aside or continue to pursue their ambitions . The APC’s consensus-building approach in Ogun contrasts with the party’s strategy in other states, where competitive primaries are expected to produce candidates . As the 2027 elections approach, the ruling party is seeking to present a united front in key states to maximise its chances of retaining control of the federation . For Iyabo Obasanjo, the suspension of her gubernatorial aspiration may not be the end of her political career, but it is a significant setback for a politician who has long harboured ambitions for the state’s top job.
