On Wednesday, former Senator Iyabo Obasanjo formally joined the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Ogun State after she left the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
You may remember that from 2007 until 2011, Iyabo—the daughter of Olusegun Obasanjo, the former president of Nigeria—represented Ogun Central in the Senate.
After failing in her 2011 re-election campaign, she departed the nation to seek a career in academia in the USA.
Senator Obasanjo announced her intention to run for governor in January of this year after a 15-year absence from active politics; she rejoined the governing APC.
But on May 31st, after losing the governorship ticket, the former senator resigned from the APC, stating that the party leadership had treated him unfairly, betrayed him, and disrespected him.
She was formally welcomed into the PDP fold at a huge event that took place on Wednesday at the party secretariat in Abeokuta,
Dr. Abayomi Tella, the PDP’s state chairman, welcomed Senator Obasanjo back to the party and announced her as the party’s candidate for Ogun Central in the next election. Tella also presented Senator Obasanjo with the party’s flag.
“I, Abayomi Tella, PhD, the State Chairman of the PDP, and the PDP Ogun Central would like to formally present this flag to our esteemed sister, Prof. Senator Iyabo Obasanjo-Bello, as the party’s official endorsement of her candidature for the Senate seat in Ogun Central,” Tella stated, speaking on behalf of the PDP’s national chairman, Alhaji Abdulrahman Mohammed, and the entire PDP National Working Committee.
As Senator Obasanjo took the oath of office, she vowed to support the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), its platform, and its principles.
I solemnly swear to uphold the principles of the PDP. She vowed to serve the people of Ogun State and Nigeria with the utmost honesty, modesty, and commitment, putting their welfare ahead of her own and her party’s interests.
She said that, as the greatest senator to have served Ogun Central, she is still the one to beat in the upcoming election.