Senator Iyabo Obasanjo, daughter of former President Olusegun Obasanjo, has made a swift political return to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), just days after her resignation from the All Progressives Congress (APC), marking another dramatic shift in her short-lived alignment with the ruling party.
Her return to the PDP comes only a week after she formally exited the APC, where she had recently joined with ambitions of contesting the Ogun State governorship election. Her political re-entry into the PDP was marked by a high-profile appearance at the party secretariat in Abeokuta, where she was warmly received by party leaders and supporters.
Iyabo Obasanjo had joined the APC in January, ending a prolonged period away from frontline partisan politics. Her return was seen at the time as a major political development in Ogun State, particularly given her past influence and national profile. However, her time in the ruling party was short-lived after she failed to secure the party’s governorship ticket.
Following her loss, she announced her resignation from the APC, citing what she described as persistent disrespect, internal rejection, and unfair treatment by the party leadership in Ogun State. The former senator said her experience within the party left her disillusioned and unwilling to continue under its structure.
Her political comeback to the PDP was further confirmed during a public event in Abeokuta, where she joined the party’s governorship candidate, Ladi Adebutu, and other senior officials for the unveiling of the PDP deputy governorship candidate, Dr. Lateefat Kolapo-Sowunmi.
The atmosphere at the party secretariat was described as energetic and celebratory, with PDP members welcoming her return as a significant boost to the party’s chances ahead of the 2027 general elections. Party leaders reportedly expressed optimism that her experience in governance and academic background would strengthen the PDP’s campaign strategy in Ogun State.
During the event, Iyabo Obasanjo participated in the formal presentation of the deputy governorship candidate, symbolically raising her hand alongside the governorship candidate and state party chairman, signalling her renewed commitment to the opposition party.
Her return also highlights the increasingly fluid nature of party affiliations in Nigerian politics, where high-profile politicians often switch platforms based on internal dynamics, electoral opportunities, and strategic positioning ahead of elections.
Political observers note that Iyabo Obasanjo’s movement between parties within a short period underscores the intensifying competition among Nigeria’s major political parties as they position themselves for the 2027 general elections. Ogun State, in particular, is expected to be a key battleground given its political significance and the influence of prominent political families.
Iyabo Obasanjo, an epidemiologist and former Commissioner for Health in Ogun State, previously served in the Senate between 2003 and 2007. She contested for re-election in 2011 on the PDP platform but lost to Senator Gbenga Obadara of the then Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN). After her exit from the Senate, she spent several years in the United States, where she pursued an academic career and rose to professorial rank.
Her re-emergence into active politics has therefore drawn attention, not only because of her family legacy but also due to her renewed ambition to play a significant role in Ogun State’s political landscape.
As preparations for the 2027 elections gather momentum, her return to the PDP is expected to reshape internal party dynamics in the state and further intensify the contest between Nigeria’s leading political parties.
