Yayi says Iyabo Obasanjo-Bello quit APC over financial interests

The governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Ogun State, Senator Solomon Olamilekan Adeola, popularly known as Yayi, has alleged that former Senator Iyabo Obasanjo-Bello left the party because of financial considerations rather than ideological differences.

Adeola made the allegation while receiving members of the Council of Iyalajes and Babaalajes (market leaders) from Remoland at his senatorial office in Ilaro, Yewa South Local Government Area.

The senator was reacting to claims by Obasanjo-Bello that she exited the APC after he allegedly refused to refund expenses incurred during her governorship campaign.

Describing the demand as “insulting,” Adeola said it suggested that her political ambition was motivated by personal gain rather than a commitment to the development of Ogun State.

According to him, he had engaged Obasanjo-Bello during consultations with party stakeholders because he considered her a respected daughter of the state with a genuine interest in its progress.
He, however, claimed that later developments indicated otherwise.

“You did not leave the APC because the party offended you. You left because you were offered money. Asking me to refund what you spent on your electioneering campaign is insulting,” Adeola said.

The APC flagbearer further alleged that after failing to get what she wanted from him and the party, Obasanjo-Bello aligned with the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governorship candidate, Ladi Adebutu, in pursuit of similar personal benefits.

He also accused opposition politicians in the state of seeking power primarily for access to public resources rather than for genuine development.

On the court challenge to his emergence as the APC governorship candidate, Adeola expressed confidence that the suit would not succeed, insisting that it was politically motivated.

He added that politicians who defected from the APC after May 10, 2026, were constitutionally ineligible to contest the forthcoming governorship election, citing existing legal provisions and previous court judgments.

Adeola also questioned the legal standing of the PDP in Ogun State, claiming the party remained embroiled in unresolved leadership and litigation disputes.

Obasanjo-Bello, daughter of former President Olusegun Obasanjo, joined the APC in March 2026 to pursue her governorship ambition. She resigned from the party on May 31, 2026, alleging maltreatment and disrespect by the party leadership, before defecting to the PDP, where she later secured the Ogun Central Senatorial ticket.

Earlier, the President of the Council of Iyalajes and Babaalajes in Remoland, Chief Mrs. Olufunke Oyelaja, reaffirmed the support of market leaders for Adeola’s governorship ambition and praised his record of constructing modern markets and empowering traders across Ogun State.