A former Ogun State governorship aspirant on the platform of the All Progressives Congress, Iyabo Obasanjo, has alleged that her supporters were assaulted and denied access during the process that produced the party’s consensus candidate for the 2027 election.
Obasanjo, daughter of ex-President Olusegun Obasanjo, raised the concerns in a statement on Thursday, days after the Ogun State Governor, Dapo Abiodun, announced Senator Solomon Adeola as the APC’s preferred governorship candidate.
The governor had unveiled Adeola at a caucus meeting in Abeokuta on April 13, saying the decision followed wide consultations aimed at ensuring party unity and continuity ahead of the 2027 polls.
However, Obasanjo said the implementation of the consensus arrangement fell short of the ideals of fairness and inclusiveness.
She disclosed that some of her supporters were barred from the venue of the meeting, while at least two were allegedly assaulted by a party official.
“On the day of the meeting, some of my supporters were denied entry and regrettably, two were physically assaulted by a party functionary. Such occurrences do not reflect the values of discipline, order and mutual respect that our party represents,” she said.
The former aspirant, who had earlier stepped down from the race in line with the consensus decision, also decried what she described as the failure of party leaders to acknowledge other aspirants present at the meeting.
According to her, despite extensive consultations and grassroots engagement across the state, she and another aspirant, Tunde Lemo, were not recognised during proceedings.
Obasanjo maintained that although she had championed consensus as a strategy to prevent internal divisions, the process must go beyond mere agreement to reflect equity and respect for all stakeholders.
“I immediately congratulated Senator Adeola and suspended my campaign activities in line with my commitment to party unity. However, true unity is not achieved by consensus alone, but through recognition, respect and collective engagement,” she stated.
Despite her reservations, she reaffirmed her loyalty to the APC and pledged support for Adeola’s candidacy as well as the administration of President Bola Tinubu.
She urged party leaders to adopt a more inclusive approach in future decisions to sustain cohesion within the party.
Obasanjo’s allegations come amid growing discontent within the Ogun APC. Senator Gbenga Daniel had earlier protested his alleged exclusion from a caucus meeting in Ogun East, describing decisions taken at the gathering as invalid after he was reportedly denied entry.
A viral video circulating online showed Daniel addressing supporters outside the venue after his convoy was blocked from gaining access.
The developments have raised fresh concerns over internal cohesion within the Ogun APC as the party prepares for the 2027 general election.
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