Ogun 2027: Adeola and Iyabo Obasanjo Exchange Charges Over Campaign Expenses and Defection

The All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship candidate for Ogun State, Senator Solomon Adeola, and former governorship aspirant Iyabo Obasanjo have engaged in a public dispute over claims regarding financial reimbursements and political defections ahead of the 2027 elections.

Addressing market leaders in Ilaro over the weekend, Adeola—popularly known as Yayi—alleged that Obasanjo left the APC for the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) after he declined her request to refund expenses incurred during her primary campaign. The Senate Committee Chairman on Appropriation characterized the demand for dollar and naira reimbursements as unreasonable, contending that her political ambitions were driven by personal interest rather than public service.

Adeola further argued that politicians who defected after May 10, 2026, face legal disqualifications under existing electoral guidelines, adding that ongoing internal factional disputes within the PDP weaken the opposition’s legal standing.

In response, Obasanjo refuted Adeola’s account, calling his statements false and questioning his political integrity. She clarified that during reconciliation talks, her political team submitted three specific requests: the Ogun Central senatorial slot, campaign expenditure refunds, and the inclusion of her supporters in his campaign organization. She noted that Adeola failed to respond to these requests but later offered her financial inducements to remain in the APC after her resignation letter was submitted on May 31.

Obasanjo, a former senator and daughter of former President Olusegun Obasanjo, originally returned to active politics earlier this year after relocating to the United States in 2011. She cited marginalization, lack of consultation, and procedural flaws in the consensus candidate selection process as her primary reasons for leaving the APC to secure the PDP senatorial ticket for Ogun Central.