Senator Iyabo Obasanjo-Bello has expressed confidence in her chances ahead of the 2027 governorship race in Ogun State, saying she is a candidate to beat.
Obasanjo-Bello made the remarks during an interview on Channels Television’s The Morning Brief programme on Friday, where she spoke about her return to active politics, her governorship ambition, and the support she expects from her family.
The 59-year-old politician, who recently defected from the Peoples Democratic Party to the All Progressives Congress (APC) ahead of the 2027 elections, said she is confident of receiving the votes of her parents, including her father, former President Olusegun Obasanjo.
“I am almost 60; I think that at this age, my friends who still have both parents alive are very few, so I consider myself lucky to have both my mother and my father alive.
“I don’t think at this age I should be consulting them for everything in my career move. What I have said is that my father, I know, and my mother will vote for me; that’s all that I can ask of them. Even if I don’t ask, they will vote for me; that I can guarantee,” she said.
The ex-lawmaker added, “So, my joining the APC is a personal journey for me; that is just the fact. But I know he will vote for me.”
Obasanjo-Bello also expressed strong confidence in her political credentials, stating that her experience and track record make her a strong contender in the race.
“I feel I am a formidable person to beat because of my track record, and so I am going to go for it,” she said.
“I have the same buy-in from the system that all the men have, but I just think that I am a better candidate and more formidable than them, and I am going to win.”
Her declaration follows her recent return to active politics, about 15 years after serving as senator representing Ogun Central between 2007 and 2011.
APC Primary Race
Speaking on her chances within the APC, Obasanjo-Bello said the party had so far provided a level playing field for all aspirants seeking the governorship ticket.
Asked whether she had the backing of the state leadership or Governor Dapo Abiodun, she maintained that no aspirant had been officially endorsed.
“The party has given a level playing field. It’s two months; it’s close, but also the party is not going to say, ‘it’s you; you’ve gotten it.’ I don’t see any nod that has been given to any candidate that is different from the nod I got, which is that you go electioneering like everybody else, and we’ll see,” she said.
“To say that somehow I have been guaranteed the ticket? No. I don’t think anybody in the state has guaranteed anybody else the ticket and has not guaranteed me the ticket.”
She added that her political experience and longstanding engagement across communities in Ogun State would strengthen her chances.
“I have a track record of my work and have penetrated the nooks and crannies of the state,” she said.
However, she acknowledged that she must first secure the APC governorship ticket through the party’s primaries before contesting the election in 2027, when Abiodun is expected to complete his constitutionally permitted second term.
Return to politics
Obasanjo-Bello confirmed that she formally joined the APC in Ogun State after participating in the party’s ongoing e-registration exercise in Ibogun, Ward 11, in Ifo Local Government Area.
According to her, supporters had been urging her for about two years to return to politics, which influenced her decision to re-enter the political arena.
She ruled out returning to the PDP due to its internal crises and said she also considered the African Democratic Congress, but was unsure about the party’s preparedness ahead of the elections.
Following consultations with political associates and supporters, she described the APC as her “natural home”, saying she feels comfortable among its members.
Obasanjo-Bello previously served as Ogun State Commissioner for Health during the administration of former governor Gbenga Daniel before being elected senator representing Ogun Central in 2007.
She lost her re-election bid in 2011 to Gbenga Obadara, who contested under the Action Congress of Nigeria. After the defeat, she returned to the United States, where she continued her academic career and later became a professor.
Political landscape in Ogun
The APC currently holds significant political influence in Ogun State and has controlled the governorship for about 15 years through two successive administrations.
Before Abiodun’s tenure, Ibikunle Amosun served two terms as governor from 2011 to 2019. Prior to that, the state was governed by the PDP under Daniel between 2003 and 2011.
Despite growing calls for greater female representation in politics, no woman has ever been elected governor of Ogun State.
However, women have served as deputy governors, including Noimot Salako-Oyedele, the current deputy governor, and Yetunde Onanuga, who served between 2015 and 2019.
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