My Popularity Will Secure Me Ogun APC Governorship Ticket — Iyabo Obasanjo

A governorship aspirant on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Ogun State, Iyabo Obasanjo, has expressed confidence in her chances of emerging as the party’s candidate for the 2027 election, citing her popularity as a key advantage.

Speaking in an interview on Thursday, Obasanjo said the party’s adoption of a consensus arrangement could work in her favour.

“I think it is an advantage for me. Many of the other candidates have not declared, but they have been doing things that indicate they would run. There’s no new candidate declaring for the Ogun governorship later than I did,” she said.

Obasanjo added that many of her potential rivals have yet to engage directly with voters, unlike her ongoing grassroots outreach.

“Many of them have not really done anything in terms of going to communities and talking about their candidature,” she stated.

She emphasised that her support base is rooted in her record in public office rather than financial inducement.

“For me, it is an advantage, and I feel very confident of my popularity on the ground. My popularity is not based on money inducement; it is based on my performance as a commissioner for health and as a senator,” she said.

“As a senator in my district, everybody still says I performed the best. You can ask the man on the street, you can go to the marketplace,” she added.

On the party’s plan to adopt consensus in selecting its candidate, Obasanjo said the approach would ultimately reflect the will of party members and voters.

“I do believe that consensus can bring the right candidates because consensus does not mean that leadership ignores the will of the people; consensus means that they look at what the people are saying. No party wants to lose, so the party will not choose people that open them up to a loss,” she said.

She further argued that consensus would favour candidates with broad appeal and electoral strength.

“The consensus is going to come towards people that can actually win on the ground. At the end of the day, the party wants to win. They do not want to put the least popular person as the consensus candidate in a way that discourages other popular participants. I have full belief that consensus is the way to go,” Obasanjo said.