Former Ogun State Commissioner for Health, Iyabo Obasanjo, has explained why she left the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to join the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), saying her decision was personal and not influenced by any pressure from the new party.
Obasanjo, daughter of former President Olusegun Obasanjo, recently returned to active politics after nearly 15 years away and aligned with the APC ahead of the 2027 general elections in Ogun State.
She had previously lost her senatorial re-election bid in 2011 to Gbenga Obadara of the then Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN), after which she relocated to the United States and built an academic career, eventually becoming a professor.
Speaking on Frontline, a current affairs programme on Eagle 102.5 FM, Obasanjo dismissed claims that the APC courted her.
“APC never approached me,” she said, noting that her switch was based on careful reflection. According to her, she became uncomfortable within the PDP and felt undervalued.
She explained that although she had considered leaving earlier, she refrained at the time because her father was a leading figure in the PDP, and she did not want her move to be misinterpreted as opposing him. Now that he no longer belongs to any political party, she said she felt freer to make her choice without concerns about public perception.
Obasanjo expressed disappointment with the PDP, claiming party leaders only reached out to her during election periods when they needed support, while ignoring her input and contributions at other times.
She said she has no intention of returning to the PDP, describing her exit as a matter of principle and personal conviction. According to her, politics should not be transactional but rooted in genuine engagement and inclusion.
Obasanjo argued that a party that fails to value key members within its ranks cannot effectively connect with ordinary citizens, stressing that leadership requires caring for and carrying people along at every level.
