Prof. Iyabo Obasanjo, daughter of former President Olusegun Obasanjo and former Senator for Ogun Central, has reportedly joined the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Ogun State.
The move, which signals a significant political realignment ahead of the 2027 general elections, was disclosed on Wednesday by Hon. Biodun Ajayi, a former Chairman of Abeokuta South Local Government and a close political associate of the former senator.
According to Ajayi, the former senator completed her registration formalities in her home constituency.
“I can confirm to you that Prof. Iyabo Obasanjo, on Tuesday at Ibogun Ward 11 of Ifo Local Government, completed her online registration as a member of our great party, the All Progressives Congress,” Ajayi told newsmen.
A former member of the House of Representatives from the same constituency, who spoke on condition of anonymity, corroborated the report, describing the registration at Ibogun as an “accurate development.”
APC Reaction
When contacted, the Ogun State APC leadership was non-committal. The party’s Director of Publicity, Mr. Femi Nuberu, neither confirmed nor denied the development. He noted, however, that the party is currently engaged in a continuous membership drive.
“The APC is a big umbrella. Our membership drive is open to every Nigerian aged 18 and above who subscribes to our ideology,” Nuberu stated.
The move follows the appearance of high-profile campaign billboards across Abeokuta late last year, sparking rumors of a political comeback. The billboards bore the inscription: *“In Ogun State, we know ourselves. Sen (Prof) Iyabo Obasanjo. Omo wa ni, eniyan wa ni, ara wa ni”* (She is our child, our person, and one of us).
Political analysts had previously speculated that the former senator might return to her former party, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), or the African Democratic Congress (ADC). Her decision to join the ruling APC has been described by insiders as a reflection of her “independent political thinking,” particularly given her father’s well-known distance from the party and his support for Labour Party’s Peter Obi in the 2023 presidential election.
In a recent interview with Remo TV, Prof. Obasanjo addressed the growing calls for her return to public office. While she stated she was enjoying her academic career in the United States, she admitted to giving her supporters the “go-ahead” to continue their advocacy.
“I told them to stop it—that I am living a good life and teaching at the university,” she said. “However, they said it was a sign of love and that I did well while in politics. I have allowed them. Nobody can say I am actively campaigning, but I have given these people the green light.”
Prof. Iyabo Obasanjo, 58, is an Associate Professor of Public Health at the University of Maryland, Baltimore. A trained veterinary doctor from the University of Ibadan, she served as Ogun State Commissioner for Health (2003–2007) before being elected to the Senate in 2007. Following an unsuccessful re-election bid in 2011, she relocated to the United States to pursue her academic career.
