Dare Babalola
Iyabo Obasanjo-Bello, a 59-year-old politician, has expressed confidence in her chances of winning the 2027 governorship election in Ogun State, saying she’s a candidate to beat.
This comes after her recent defection from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC).
Speaking on Channels Television’s The Morning Brief, on Friday, Obasanjo-Bello stated that she’s confident of receiving votes from her parents, including former President Olusegun Obasanjo.
“I know my father and mother will vote for me; that’s all I can ask of them. Even if I don’t ask, they will vote for me; that I can guarantee,” she said.
The former senator believes 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 added.
Obasanjo-Bello joined the APC after participating in the party’s e-registration exercise, citing internal crises in the PDP and her comfort among APC members as reasons for her decision.
She’s aiming to become the first female governor of Ogun State.
Regarding the APC primary, Obasanjo-Bello said the party has provided a level playing field for all aspirants.
“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’,” she noted.
She’s competing against other aspirants, including Modele Sarafa-Yusuf, a veteran journalist and former Special Adviser to Governor Dapo Abiodun.
Obasanjo-Bello is confident her political experience and community engagement will 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 must first secure the APC governorship ticket through the party’s primaries.
The APC has significant influence in Ogun State, having controlled the governorship for 15 years. Obasanjo-Bello’s decision to join the party is seen as a boost to her chances.
In her words, “My joining the APC is a personal journey for me; that is just the fact. But I know he (my father) will vote for me.”
The 2027 governorship election is expected to be competitive, with several aspirants vying for the top seat.
Obasanjo-Bello previously served as Ogun State Commissioner for Health and senator representing Ogun Central. She lost her re-election bid in 2011 and has since returned to academia in the US.
The former senator is optimistic about her chances, saying, “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.”
